CARNET Participates at the FISITA World Mobility Conference 2025

CARNET has taken part in the FISITA World Mobility Conference 2025, reaffirming its commitment to innovation and collaboration in the automotive and mobility sectors. The event took place from June 3rd to 5th at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya in Barcelona, gathering international mobility experts, researchers, and industry leaders to discuss the future of mobility systems and solutions.

This year’s conference encompassed a wide range of key topics, including propulsion systems, energy infrastructure, sustainability, digitalisation, AI, safety, and automated driving. With over 2,000 attendees and more than 300 speakers, the event represented a unique opportunity to strengthen cooperation across the industry.

CARNET was present with several initiatives. Located at booth 13, the team provided information about the activities and projects developed by the hub. Additionally, PTV Group, one of CARNET’s industrial partners, was also present at the booth. As part of the programme, CARNET was also selected for a poster presentation on the Mobilities for EU project, one of the flagship projects supported by the European Commission to advance the transition to sustainable urban mobility in European cities. In this project, CARNET leads the strategy for evaluating and monitoring the impact of new mobility measures from both the city and technical partner’s perspectives.

Another highlight of the event was the participation of Dr. Laia Pagès, Executive and Research Manager at CARNET, in the expert panel session titled “How will software and AI unlock the future of mobility?”. This session was moderated by the CEO of Gasgoo, Tina Zhou, and included Dr. Shang Jin, Assistant to the President of Chery Automobile, and Dr. Jose Salvador Solaz Sanahuja, Head of Innovation, Mobility and Smart Cities at IBV (Instituto de Biomecánica), which provided an interesting conversation about the transformative role of digital technologies in mobility systems.

The panel examined how these innovations are boosting a shift toward software-defined vehicles (SDVs), making companies in the field create new R&D strategies, modify their business models, and redefine user experience through personalised and service-based mobility offerings. These insights closely align with CARNET’s ongoing research into intelligent, sustainable, and inclusive urban mobility systems.

Part of the conversation focused on strategies for data generation and usage, emphasising that these approaches differ significantly depending on the size and structure of each country. In smaller countries, data aggregation and deployment can be faster and more coordinated, often allowing for more agile piloting and implementation of new AI-driven solutions. In contrast, larger countries may face challenges related to scale, interoperability, and governance, requiring more robust frameworks to harmonise data flows across regions. Through these differences, we see how important it is for companies to be able to adapt themselves to the context where they operate.

During the congress, CARNET’s booth also attracted representatives from research centres, startups, leading mobility companies, and a delegation of visitors. Many of these interactions were seeking potential research collaborations, underscoring the shared willingness to keep pushing the boundaries of the mobility industry. These exchanges not only reinforced CARNET’s role as a connector between academia and industry but also opened the door to new project opportunities in the upcoming months.