1. THE TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION OF MOBILITY AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, DRIVEN BY NATIONAL POLICIES AND THE NRRP (NATIONAL RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PLAN), HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR SHIFT IN RECENT YEARS. WHAT IS NEEDED TO COMPLETE IT?

There is still a lack of truly integrated policies and real intermodality from the end-user's perspective. It's essential to focus on a traveler who is increasingly aware, sustainability-conscious, informed, and looking to make deliberate choices and receive quality service. Today's much more competitive landscape pushes users to choose the players who best meet their needs.

Digital technology is an essential enabler in this process, as it allows for an integrated and coordinated approach. It also enables better user management and encourages virtuous behavior through data governance. Data is increasingly the starting point for ensuring broader transportation coverage, but even more importantly, for fostering a collaborative approach among system stakeholders.

If integrated mobility policies are implemented, if cooperation and data-sharing agreements are in place, then a truly efficient and sustainable transport ecosystem can be developed. Citizens will be able to move seamlessly across different modes of transport - train, bus, bike sharing, car sharing - perhaps using a single digital platform that enables them to interact with mobility just as they would with any other service.

Cities will also be able to better coordinate their services, reducing congestion and pollution, while transport operators can plan more strategic investments based on shared data and integrated passenger flow analyses.

On the safety front, data collected from sensors helps identify unusual patterns - sudden crowds, vehicles stopped in critical areas - allowing for preventive intervention. This data ultimately becomes the foundation for decision-making: new infrastructure, changes to road layouts, or new transport services can be validated with real data on citizen behavior, reducing the risk of poor investments and maximizing the positive impact on everyone’s quality of life.

3. IN THIS CONTEXT, WHAT ARE THE NEW TECHNOLOGICAL FRONTIERS IN MOBILITY?

While the energy and digital transformation of transport companies continues, new technological frontiers are completely reshaping the mobility landscape. One example is Digital Twins, which create virtual replicas of cities where mobility scenarios can be simulated, new solutions tested, and the impact of infrastructure changes predicted before they’re physically implemented. These digital models integrate contextual data with real-time data from moving vehicles. The focus shifts from reacting to events to anticipating them.

Pedestrian and vehicular flow sensors predict congestion hours in advance, triggering automatic traffic detours or strengthening public transport in critical zones. Weather data combined with historical patterns allow planners to anticipate increased public transport demand during adverse weather or climate events.

These data streams also feed predictive maintenance models: sensors on roads, tracks, and vehicles detect micro-wear and anomalies, scheduling maintenance before faults or accidents occur. A bus can be serviced before breaking down; a road can be repaired before dangerous potholes form.

Blockchain enables secure, decentralized payment systems and ensures users' privacy and control over their personal data.

Finally, Augmented Reality transforms the travel experience, offering contextual information about places being passed, immersive navigation, and real-time assistance for people with disabilities.

5. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE IS OFTEN DISCUSSED - BUT HOW IS IT ACTUALLY BUILT?

The resilience of transport infrastructure is built through a systemic approach that integrates various strategic management domains:

• Asset Management is the foundation. Distributed sensors on bridges, tunnels, tracks, and pavement continuously monitor the infrastructure’s health, detecting microfractures, deformations, abnormal vibrations, and corrosion before they become critical. Artificial intelligence analyzes this data to create predictive models that optimize maintenance cycles, cutting operational costs by 20–30% and preventing sudden service disruptions.
• Logistics Integration, or the orchestration of complex flows of goods and people through smart multimodal hubs.
• Flow Management, using computer vision and behavioral analysis to manage passenger flows in stations and airports.
• Facility Management, integrating intelligent ventilation systems, fire detection, traffic control, and emergency communications.
• Energy Management, optimizing consumption via smart grids and energy storage.

This integration creates resilient ecosystems that can adapt, self-heal, and continue functioning even under critical conditions, ensuring service continuity and safety for millions of users.