We are thrilled to bring you the latest updates and milestones of SYNCHROMODE, a pioneering research project dedicated to revolutionizing multimodal traffic management through innovative, data-driven solutions. Here’s a look at our recent achievements and events.
Welcome to the latest edition of the SYNCHROMODE newsletter! We are excited to share the most recent activities, achievements, and developments from the SYNCHROMODE project, as well as updates from the Multimodal Traffic Management Cluster (MTMC). Dive into our recap of key events, insightful articles, and the newly published MTMC Roadmap for advancing multimodal traffic management by 2030 and beyond.
SYNCHROMODE participated in the Special Interest Session “SIS 85 Advanced Multimodal Network and Traffic Management: The Latest Advances of EU Research” at 30th ITS World Congress 2024 in Dubai. The session was moderated by Dr. Evangelos Mitsakis (CERTH-HIT), SYNCHROMODE project coordinator, and featured presentations by Trond Hovland, Pol Torres, Tiago Dias, Claudio Roncoli, Dimitris Tzanis and and Ioannis Kanellopoulos. They shared their insights related to challenges, innovative solutions and prospects of multimodal traffic management, alongside projects like ACUMEN, DELPHIEU, Orchestra2020, and FRONTIER EU. All projects are funded under Horizon Europe, coordinated by CINEA, and are part of the MTM Cluster.
The conference under the theme “Smart Transport & Logistics 2024: Explore. Innovate. Transform,” focused on Intelligent Transport Systems advancements in Greece. Dr. Evangelos Mitsakis presented SYNCHROMODE’s Toolbox and three use cases in South-Holland, Madrid, and Thessaloniki. Our SYNCHROMODE project partner Yunex Traffic also shared traffic management strategies implemented in Athens.
During Nommon’s latest edition of “Innovation Days” focusing on Big Data, AI, and transport, SYNCHROMODE was highlighted by Olivia Garcia Cantu Ros. The session showcased Nommon’s efforts to enhance the management of sustainable, multimodal transport systems.
Dr. Evangelos Mitsakis participated in the session “Enhancing Traffic Management with Digital Twins and AI”, which was moderated by Tiago Tavares, CINEA project officer. The discussion centered on leveraging advanced technologies for future traffic management, featuring speakers from projects like URBANE, CONDUCTOR HE, and DELPHI EU. The session also provided an opportunity to present the MTM Cluster’s Roadmap for the future of traffic management in Europe.
The conference showcased cutting-edge research on traffic management, including the TANGENT project’s dashboards and policy insights. The event covered case studies from the cities of Rennes, Greater Manchester, and Lisbon, providing valuable takeaways for the SYNCHROMODE team.
The SYNCHROMODE project participated in the ALICE Logistics Innovation Summit alongside the Multimodal Traffic Management Cluster projects ACUMEN and DELPHI, sharing a stand to showcase their innovative approaches to traffic management. SYNCHROMODE also delivered a two-minute pitch highlighting the project’s objectives and ongoing developments. Additionally, the project’s coordinator, Dr. Evangelos Mitsakis, contributed to the event by joining a panel discussion titled “Digital Transition: Leveraging Technologies for Efficient and Zero Emissions Logistics,” sharing insights on how digital tools can drive sustainable mobility solutions for passenger and freight transport.
The SYNCHROMODE consortium gathered in Bilbao for its 4th General Assembly, hosted by the University of Deusto. This meeting marked the mid-point of the project, offering a moment to reflect on accomplishments so far and strategize for the successful completion of the project’s goals.
Central to the discussions was the progress of the SYNCHROMODE Toolbox- a cutting-edge solution for resilient multimodal traffic management under development by the technical partners. The SYNCHROMODE Toolbox is designed to equip transport managers with advanced predictive and network optimization tools, enabling them to balance supply and demand effectively and respond dynamically to various disruptive events.
Representatives from the three implementation sites – the Province of South Holland, Thessaloniki, and Madrid, shared updates on their ongoing experiments and outlined their requirements for the project’s next phase. These insights ensure that the SYNCHROMODE Toolbox is tailored to real-world needs, paving the way for impactful results across diverse urban contexts.
The SYNCHROMODE project was prominently represented at the 2024 POLIS Conference in Karlsruhe, where over 1,000 urban mobility professionals gathered to discuss innovative solutions for sustainable transport. Project partners from Nommon, Rupprecht Consult GmbH, PNO Consultants, the University of Deusto, and POLIS Network engaged with attendees at the PNO and POLIS booths.
These interactions provided a valuable opportunity to showcase the project’s progress and exchange ideas on the challenges of multimodal traffic management, strengthening SYNCHROMODE’s role in advancing smarter and more resilient transport systems.
At the beginning of the fall season, the Dutch SYNCHROMODE team talked about beach days!
On the 7th of October, the Dutch team gathered representatives from several coastal municipalities in the province of South-Holland, including Rotterdam, The Hague, Katwijk, Noordwijk, as well as the regional traffic management cooperation organisation, Zuid-Holland Bereikbaar at the Provincial House of South-Holland.
During the workshop, they have discussed the existing challenges, current strategies and potential solutions for addressing traffic problems during peak beach days. Furthermore, the discussed about the ways that the SYNCHROMODE project and the SYNCHROMODE Toolbox can help mitigate these challenges, which areprimarily driven by parking capacity for both cars and bicycles, as well as associated search traffic. By combining the forces of data and our affiliated service providers, the SYNCHROMODE project aims to enhance insight into the network state, predict busy days or bottlenecks and provide multimodal information to travellers.
On the 14th of October, SYNCHROMODE held its third Madrid Case Study Workshop. This online session gathered participants from different backgrounds, including key stakeholders in logistics and public transport representing potential users of the toolbox in development as part of the project.
Organised by Nommon, the workshop included experts with different roles within their respective organisations. They were introduced to a preliminary design of the SYNCHROMODE Toolbox, showcasing how it aims to facilitate the coordination of parcel transportation in under-occupied buses and support the design of integrated schemes that combine fixed public transport buses with demand-responsive transport (DRT) services. Their feedback was instrumental in refining the definition of the roles and actors that will interact with the SYNCHROMODE Toolbox and in what capacity, and provided valuable insights on how to improve the visualisation and presentation of the information provided by these innovative transport solutions.
A recent article from Aimsun explores the role of advanced traffic management solutions in enhancing mobility, reducing congestion, and supporting resilient multimodal networks. It highlights the application of AI-driven algorithms, real-time analytics, and simulations to optimize urban transport systems.
Discover the newly released Multimodal Traffic Management Cluster Roadmap 2030! This comprehensive roadmap sets out key priorities to create sustainable and resilient transport networks across Europe. It focuses on three main areas:
Technologies and Services: Developing innovative tools and solutions to manage traffic effectively.
Data: Leveraging real-time data and analytics to improve decision-making.
Policies: Supporting a governance framework that fosters collaborative, multimodal traffic management.
The SYNCHROMODE team is proud to have contributed to this ambitious vision, setting the stage for the future of European traffic management.
On 12 November 2024, the SYNCHROMODE project proudly co-organised a webinar under the umbrella of the Multimodal Traffic Management Cluster (MTMC), titled “Network and Traffic Management – Current Status and Future Directions in EU R&D Activities.” The event served as a platform to explore cutting-edge innovations in traffic management and their role in shaping the future of European mobility.
The webinar was honoured to feature an opening presentation by Thiago Tavares, Project Officer at CINEA. Mr Tavares outlined the European Commission’s priorities in traffic management and introduced the MTMC Roadmap, a visionary framework aimed at advancing multimodal and sustainable urban transport. Having are presentative from CINEA speak at the event was a privilege, reflecting the importance of the cluster’s work.
The session highlighted on going research and developments through presentations by key EU-funded projects, including:
SYNCHROMODE: Advanced traffic management solutions for synchronized and resilient multimodal transport services
The SYNCHROMODE project shared insights into its innovative traffic management toolbox, designed to streamline multimodal traffic coordination. Practical applications in Madrid, Thessaloniki, and South Holland demonstrated its ability to optimise transport networks, enabling more efficient and sustainable mobility solutions.
ACUMEN: Enhancing Traffic Management with Digital Twins and AI
The ACUMEN project highlighted its use of cutting-edge technologies, including digital twins and artificial intelligence, to improve urban traffic flow. Experimental labs in Athens, Amsterdam, Helsinki, and Luxembourg showcased the transformative potential of these tools in creating adaptive, resilient transport systems.
DELPHI: Governance Frameworks for Efficient Traffic Management
The DELPHI project focused on the creation of governance frameworks essential for modern traffic management. The presentation delved into the DELPHI Town concept, illustrating how policy and planning innovations can ensure a seamless integration of multimodal traffic systems across cities.
These presentations underscored the diverse approaches being explored by EU-funded projects to address current challenges and prepare for the future of urban mobility.
The webinar concluded with an interactive discussion, allowing participants to exchange ideas and reflect on how the presented solutions can contribute to safer, more sustainable, and efficient transport networks across Europe.
As co-organiser, the SYNCHROMODE project was proud to facilitate this vital knowledge-sharing event and remains committed to supporting collaboration within the MTMC and beyond.