Road Transport Research (RTR) Conference 2026: 10-12 February 2026:
Opening the conversation on inclusive and impactful road transport research
This morning, the Road Transport Research Conference 2026 (#RTR2026) officially opened its doors in Brussels, bringing together the European road transport research community to reflect on results, lessons learned, and the path ahead.
The opening session set a clear tone for the days to come: European research must go beyond technological excellence and deliver real impact for society. Speakers highlighted the role of Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 projects in accelerating the transition towards cleaner, safer, and more inclusive road transport systems, while underlining the importance of collaboration, deployment, and citizen-centred innovation.
A recurring message from the auditorium was the need to bridge research and real-world application — ensuring that innovations respond to diverse territorial, cultural, and social contexts across Europe. This perspective strongly resonates with the work CARNET Barcelona is carrying out in several of the projects showcased at the conference.
One example is CulturalRoad, a Horizon Europe project focused on the inclusive deployment of Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM) services. Through participatory approaches, stakeholder engagement, and co-creation methodologies, CulturalRoad explores how automated mobility solutions can be adapted to different cultural and geographical realities, placing people at the centre of technological transformation.
CARNET Barcelona’s active involvement in initiatives like CulturalRoad reflects our commitment to mobility innovation that is not only advanced, but also meaningful, inclusive, and transferable to real urban and regional contexts.
As #RTR2026 continues over the coming days, the conference will further highlight how European research is shaping the future of road transport — and how collaboration across projects, disciplines, and territories is key to turning research results into tangible change.
