On 22 September 2025, the Safety & Security and Traffic Efficiency Working Groups held a joint online meeting to explore two emerging strategic priorities for cities and regions: the deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs) and the increasing impacts of the climate crisis on urban mobility systems. The session examined key challenges, shared examples from member cities and research organisations, and discussed how local and regional authorities can anticipate and address these developments collectively.

Autonomous vehicles and safety on our streets

The first part of the session addressed the implications of the European Commission’s 2025 Industrial Plan, which positions AV technology as a strategic component of EU competitiveness and foresees rapid deployment and upscaling across passenger and freight transport.

Key trends and regulatory approaches

A presentation from ERTICO – ITS Europe outlined the global AV landscape. Rapid developments are taking place in the United States and China, where large-scale robotaxi services are being rolled out and regulatory frameworks allow faster deployment. In Europe, pilots are progressing in several cities, but deployment remains more limited.

Different regulatory models are emerging. While the US relies largely on self-certification, the EU follows a type-approval model, with slower but stricter ex-ante safety checks. China combines central direction with staged approvals. Participants discussed how Europe’s approach fits within an increasingly globalised vehicle market, with manufacturers operating across multiple jurisdictions.

Local experiences

Examples from members Vienna and La Rochelle illustrated the operational and governance challenges of integrating automated vehicles into local transport systems.

• In Vienna, pilot operations between 2019 and 2021 tested shuttles in real traffic, supported by detailed digital mapping and additional sensor infrastructure. These pilots informed the city’s evolving position on automated mobility and highlighted the need for close coordination between operators and authorities. Vienna’s position paper on automated mobility provides further details and a path forward for the city.
• In La Rochelle, an on-demand AV service was recently launched in August as part of a regional on-demand service aiming to collect passengers around the region to feed the railway station during rush hours, as well as to support free flow between the different towns.  While the Automated features cover routes of only 10–30 km, the four automated buses can achieve high speeds on different types of roads. Early results of the on-demand service point to steady growth in user uptake and valuable operational insights, particularly regarding data quality, weather-related issues and the importance of staff training for safe mixed-traffic operations.

Strategic considerations for cities and regions

The discussion highlighted several points that cities and regions may need to consider as AV deployment progresses:

• Ensuring that safety culture and clear operational protocols are embedded in deployments to build public trust.
• Addressing data transparency and governance, particularly regarding incident data and auditability.
• Anticipating interactions with vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, and the potential behavioural effects as AVs become more common.
• Using planning and regulatory tools, such as digitised traffic circulation plans, to define operational areas and manage integration with existing networks.
• Defining local authority responsibilities in relation to safety, data, infrastructure readiness and liability.

What are the climate crisis risks for urban mobility

The second part of the session focused on how extreme climate events are affecting urban mobility systems, infrastructure, and operations, and how local and regional authorities can adapt.

Urban mobility under climate stress

Transport for London presented their Climate Change Adaptation Plan from 2023, which combines strategic planning, voluntary reporting, and targeted training to strengthen organisational preparedness. London faces a variety of risks including surface water flooding, heatwaves, and storm events. Measures such as sustainable drainage systems and scenario planning are being implemented to protect users, staff, and infrastructure, and to address potential cascading effects between mobility, energy and telecom networks.

SINTEF shared insights from Norway, where disruptive events such as landslides have led to long-term closures of key transport links. The SARIL project is working to model impacts, using historical data and scenario planning to make risks more visible and inform funding and adaptation priorities.

Strategic considerations for cities and regions

The discussion emphasised:

• The importance of data availability and sharing to model risks and inform adaptation measures.
• The need for institutional mobilisation to prioritise adaptation in planning and budgeting processes.
• Challenges around insurance and financing, as repeated extreme events complicate access to funding and insurance coverage.
• The benefits of simplifying adaptation strategies as systems become more technologically complex.

Conclusion

Anticipation, prevention and foresight are key elements of our mobility governance. In this case, a strategic importance lies in anticipating technological and environmental risks for transport.

On the one hand, the deployment of autonomous vehicles calls for clear governance frameworks, data access arrangements, and integration strategies that safeguard safety and public trust. On the other hand, the increasing frequency of extreme climate events demands robust adaptation measures, institutional preparedness, and long-term investment to protect mobility infrastructure and services.

Taken together, these developments underline the need for strategic coordination across policy areas and levels of governance, as well as collaboration with industry and research partners. Pooling evidence, sharing operational experiences, and aligning approaches, public authorities can strengthen their capacity to shape these transformations and ensure that mobility systems remain safe, resilient and people-centred.