The Southern Netherlands region is smart and innovative. It attracts increasingly more people and enterprises. As a result, the pressure on the mobility system is building rapidly. In her keynote during Automotive Week, Zuhal Gül, programme manager at SmartwayZ.NL, will elaborate on today’s challenges and solutions for the future of our cities and the role of public authorities in those developments.
“Some of us will remember how Armstrong and Aldrin set foot on the moon for the very first time. It was an incredible achievement with the technology of the sixties. The enormous complexity – and the short timeframe of ten years – of this challenge made it so impressive. This moonshot was a huge inspiration for the whole world. Now we need to wonder: what is our moonshot for the next 10 to 20 years in terms of smart, sustainable, and safe mobility?”
Challenges and opportunities
“We are very much aware of challenges and opportunities for the future of our cities. Challenges such as congestion, lack of space, growing population, air quality, noise, liveability, health, social inclusion, economic development, and creation of jobs. On the other hand, we know there are many opportunities. What we need is a purpose-driven approach to innovation. If we simultaneously make use of on-demand shared mobility concepts and public transport, cycling and walking, we can make a difference in contributing to prosperous, healthy, spacious, and accessible cities. That is what our moonshot should be: better cities with more efficient use of space, less congestion, clean air, healthy empowered citizens, and a thriving economy.”
About SmartwayZ.NL
SmartwayZ.NL’s goal is to keep the Southern Netherlands accessible. Their approach varies from developing smart solutions to widening motorways and improving transport hubs. More than 200 partners are collaborating on the programme, including the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rijkswaterstaat, the provincial governments of Noord-Brabant and Limburg, various municipalities, companies, and knowledge institutions. Together they research, facilitate, innovate, and implement.
Do you want to hear more about a purpose driven approach to innovation and what role public authorities should have in this? Join us for Zuhal Gül’s keynote between 13.30 – 15.30 on Monday, 17 April.
