Women in Energy, Climate and Sustainability (WECS) is a public foundati<strong>on</strong> established to promote gender equality as an enabler of the transiti<strong>on</strong> towards a climate neutral ec<strong>on</strong>omy in Europe and worldwide. Our objective is to facilitate gender diversity and women empowerment in the fields of energy, climate and sustainability. info@wecsfoundati<strong>on</strong>.org wecsfoundati<strong>on</strong>.org
Foreword By Adina Vălean European Commissi<strong>on</strong>er for Transport W i ill <strong>Artificial</strong> <strong>Intelligence</strong> mean driverless cars criss-crossing our towns and cities, with passengers relaxing in the back seat? It could mean this, <strong>on</strong>e day in the future. But what most people d<strong>on</strong>’t realise, is that AI, while still in its infancy, is already tip-toeing its way into our transport network – just less visibly than the arrival of aut<strong>on</strong>omous cars would be. AI has the potential to transform our travelling experience, enabling a smoother and more sustainable journey for drivers, passengers and freight, and – crucially – making mobility even safer. AI is already making a difference. It is part of a new algorithm used to provide expected time of arrival for rail freight trains, and has significantly improved performance over time through machinelearning. Accurate arrival time predicti<strong>on</strong>s are important for the seamless integrati<strong>on</strong> of rail freight with road and maritime intermodal services. The technology was developed through the EU-supported ELETA project. In aviati<strong>on</strong>, applicati<strong>on</strong>s are being deployed to automate flight plan correcti<strong>on</strong>s, improve passenger transfers and predict traffic. In shipping, AI is helping c<strong>on</strong>tainer terminals and carriers alike to determine the best sequence for docking and loading/unloading. It does this by randomly trying many soluti<strong>on</strong>s and comparing the merits of each soluti<strong>on</strong>. It then starts applying its knowledge to each new scenario it tests so they get progressively better. The transport industry has clearly seen the potential, and is investing heavily. Driverless trains, cars able to detect animals <strong>on</strong> the road, and vessels able to advise <strong>on</strong> the most fuel-efficient way to operate al<strong>on</strong>g a specific shipping route are the focus of recent trials around Europe. Companies are investing, testing and manifesting their interest. For road transport, we are still far from aut<strong>on</strong>omous cars. But we are already <strong>on</strong> a path to cooperative c<strong>on</strong>nected automated mobility (CCAM). Particularly in talk of cars, the relati<strong>on</strong>ship between AI and aut<strong>on</strong>omy is often misunderstood. The former does not necessarily mean the latter. Instead, AI can be used to provide different levels of support to a car driver: from advice <strong>on</strong> the best route to take given current traffic c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s, to full aut<strong>on</strong>omy. While AI may appear to be a silver bullet that solves all of our transport challenges, it is nothing without data. From traffic flows to maintenance requirements, data is the fuel that AI needs to perform. It is in analysing big data faster than any human can that AI technologies can enable a vehicle to understand the world around it and make the right decisi<strong>on</strong> at the right time. It is AI combined with data that can cut journey times, c<strong>on</strong>gesti<strong>on</strong>, unnecessary polluti<strong>on</strong>, downtime for maintenance and ultimately, frustrati<strong>on</strong> due to time lost. The next piece in the puzzle is therefore sharing this data. Transport authorities, infrastructure managers, transport operators, manufacturers, service providers, platforms, final users and n<strong>on</strong>transport stakeholders are already doing so to improve operati<strong>on</strong>s and services, but this is a sensitive topic for many in the industry, so we want to develop a comm<strong>on</strong> European mobility data space. Not all hurdles to AI are technological. The European Commissi<strong>on</strong>’s 2018 AI strategy raises the need to prepare for socio-ec<strong>on</strong>omic change; and to ensure an appropriate ethical and legal framework. A Communicati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> AI’s trustworthiness followed, designed to increase public acceptance while providing ethical guidelines for organisati<strong>on</strong>s pursuing AI. C<strong>on</strong>cerns range from safety and jobs to privacy and liability, and it is important that we recognise, c<strong>on</strong>sider and investigate each and every <strong>on</strong>e of these anxieties now. Technological progress will be worthless if our citizens are not <strong>on</strong> board. Our job in the Commissi<strong>on</strong> is to adapt our regulatory framework so that it supports innovati<strong>on</strong>, while at the same time ensuring respect for fundamental values and rights. The European Pillar of Social Rights, which calls for decent working c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s, social protecti<strong>on</strong> and equal opportunities for all, is the Commissi<strong>on</strong>’s first resp<strong>on</strong>se to the challenges posed by new forms of work. We are also promoting skills development, as skills dictate employability. The New Skills Agenda for Europe also targets smoother transiti<strong>on</strong>s and reskilling for people changing jobs or careers. To improve understanding of the current transformati<strong>on</strong> process in the transport sector, the Commissi<strong>on</strong> is also funding research projects <strong>on</strong> the effects of automati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> the labour force, working c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s, and skills requirements. And we are engaging with stakeholders, including our social partners. The results of a study analysing the situati<strong>on</strong> across transport modes and recommending future steps are due at the end of this year. Al<strong>on</strong>gside social c<strong>on</strong>cerns are those from industry: will the current safety legislative framework work for potential new safety risks? Will certificati<strong>on</strong> processes need to change to take account of machine learning? Will some traditi<strong>on</strong>al players see their role change? Will new alliances see others missing the AI boat? While I take these c<strong>on</strong>cerns seriously, I do not see them as blocking factors. It is clear that all stakeholders will need to collaborate much more than they have d<strong>on</strong>e, and to find their place in new value chains. Together, we will find the answers to these questi<strong>on</strong>s. Ultimately, the world is changing. Today, technology and innovati<strong>on</strong> are already challenging our habits and dayto-day lives and I welcome this! But it is not <strong>on</strong>ly technology that is changing. Our citizens will no l<strong>on</strong>ger accept the status quo. They no l<strong>on</strong>ger accept emissi<strong>on</strong>s or c<strong>on</strong>gesti<strong>on</strong>. They want change. And so do I. I want a modern, accessible, safe and c<strong>on</strong>nected transport system that is both sustainable – through decarb<strong>on</strong>isati<strong>on</strong> – and smart – through digitalisati<strong>on</strong>. The will and momentum for change is there, and AI will be a driver in making that change happen.
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