NTUA within the framework of the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week organized with great success a Scientific Workshop titled  “Artificial Intelligence for Road Safety and Mobility” which took place in Athens (and online) on May 15th, 2025. The objective of this Workshop was to highlight through an intensive flow of presentations the main findings and challenges of key road safety and mobility research projects carried out within the NTUA Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering and to open up the discussion in a round table with high-level experts on key innovations in road safety  and mobility research in Greece, in Europe and worldwide.  

• Programme can be found here

  Workshop presentations:

1.   NTUA Road Safety Observatory – nrso
2.   Advanced Traffic Management
3.   Athens Mobility Observatory – amob
4.   AI for Vision Zero in Road Safety – Ivory
5.   Proactive risk mapping and infrastructure safety management – Ivory
6.   AI for road safety monitoring and crash prediction from micro- to macro levels – Ivory
7.   Data fusion of traffic, behaviour & infrastructure for holistic driver assistance – Ivory
8.   Road safety prediction on the basis of ethically sound physiological measurements – Ivory
9.   Predictive Approaches for Safer Urban Environments – Phoebe
10.   Smart city mapping for safer and eco driver behaviour – SmartMaps
11.   Optimising driver behaviour for safe, green and energy efficient mobility – OptiMo
12.   Exploring the relationship between unsafe traffic events and crash occurrence – Peve
13.   Support to the European Road Safety Observatory – ERSOnext 
14.   Development and Collection of Road Safety Key Performance Indicators – Trendline
15.   National Access Point Coordination Organisation for Europe – Napcore
16.   Injury Mitigation to Promote Vision-Zero Achievement– Improva
17.   E-Survey of Road users’ Attitudes – ESRA3
18.   Cultural, regional and societal factors to overcome barriers to connected, cooperative and automated mobility deployment – CulturalRoad
19.   Shared Automation Operating Models for Worldwide Adoption – Show
20.   Holistic Approach for Driver Role Integration and Automation Allocation for European Mobility Needs – Hadrian
21.   Safe System Design for CCAM services – Froddo
22.   Actionable Human in the Loop Traffic Forecasting for CCAM – Acumen
23.   Road Infrastructure Safety Egris3
24.   NTUA Campus Road Network Upgrade
25.   Traffic safety culture – A transition towards shared responsibility for safe and sustainable mobility – Trust
26.   Effectiveness of city-wide 30 km/h speed limits – 30 Marathons in 30 months
27.   Global Road Safety Knowledge Exchange – Piarc
28.   Financial incentives and benefits for vehicle insurance policies using telematics – SShCentre
29.   Road Safety for the New Attica Transportation Strategic Plan
30.   Flexibly adapted MetaInnovations, use cases, collaborative business and governance models to accelerate shared Zero Emission mobility for passengers and freight – MetaCCaze
31.   Green Cultural Oases – GreCo
32.   Proposed Operating Model for the Metropolitan Transport Authority of Attica
33.   Ridesharing Services Socioeconomic Impact
34.   Smart Payments in Public Transport

 Road Safety Panel Discussion  Mobility Panel Discussion

The National Technical University of Athens has recently released a Guide for Safe Driving providing practical advice for drivers and riders in order to prevent key crash causes: speeding, seat-belt, helmet, mobile phone use, drink-and-drive, fatigue and adverse weather conditions. This Guide suggests summary knowledge on these key crash risk factors together with highly useful recommendations in order to promote safe driving behaviour and develop a continuously improving road safety culture.   

The Faculty of Transport and Aviation Engineering of the Silesian University of Technology is organizing the Transport Problems XVII International Scientific Conference which will take place in Katowice, Poland & Online on 25-27 June 2025. Conference topics include some of the following areas: road transport, rail transport, air transport, sea transport and inland, municipal and bicycle transport, automation in transport, transport management in urban area & transport systems safety. Participants from 25 countries have already registered. Programme can be found here.

The International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (ICADTS) is organizing the 24th International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety Conference, which will take place in Alcobaça, on 15-18 June 2025, under the theme “Time For Change: Traffic Safety for a Sustainable World”. This Event brings together world experts from a multidisciplinary perspective in key areas. This World Conference will discuss the contribution of multiple interventions associated with research in the fields of safety, public health, traffic and transport psychology, law, medicine, economics, law enforcement, public policy, training and education, pharmacology, toxicology, forensic science, intervention, and rehabilitation related to driving under the influence. Researchers can register until 14 May 2025.  

The Horizon Europe research project metaCCAZE has recently released the metaCCAZE 3rd Newsletter, which provides information on the latest outcomes of the EU-funded metaCCAZE project aiming to accelerate the deployment of smart systems that combine electric, automated and connected technologies and infrastructure, enabling zero-emission shared mobility services for both passengers and goods in European cities. This version of the Newsletter celebrates the 2^nd year of the EU-funded project, marking a key turning point: the spotlight is now equally on the Follower Cities—Athens, Gozo, Kraków, Milan, Miskolc, and Poissy in Yvelines, part of the Paris Region. Each city brings its own challenges, priorities, and ambitions—from Milan’s suburban e-pod mobility concept to Gozo’s autonomous shuttle, and Athens’ integration of electric buses using AI-supported planning. The diversity across these urban environments provides a proving ground for scalable, people-centred mobility solutions. 

The Hellenic Institute of Transport (HIT) οf the Centre for Research and Technology (CERTH/EKETA) together with the Road Tolls Service-Electronic Management of Road Infrastructure (YOT-HDOY) organized with great success a two-day workshop titled “Data Quality and NAP Best Practices” in the framework of the European Commission NAPCORE project, which took place in Athens, Greece on 5-6 May 2025. The aim of this Event was to bring together the participants of the Working Group 3 of the Project to discuss the current status, the future prospects and the progress of National Access Points in the EU. Programme can be found here. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:

• Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and the Future of Road Safety

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) is organizing the 2025 ETSC Road Safety Performance Index event which will take place in Brussels, Belgium on 24 June 2025. ETSC will present the findings of the PIN Annual Report looking at progress in reducing road deaths and serious injuries across Europe. Furthermore, a panel discussion will look at how reducing speed could help us reach the 2030 target of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50%. The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) is also expected to present its 2025 Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) Award to a country for its progress in improving road safety.  

The Nordic Traffic Safety Academy (NTSA) together with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), are organizing the NTSA Research School 2025, which will take place in Trondheim, Norway on 13-16 May 2025. NTSA is a Nordic forum where academics meet to exchange information and experience in research and education. This Event targets top-level experts in the subject sharing their experiences, as well as the early career researchers, primarily PhD students and postdocs, who will have an opportunity to present their research work and ideas, receive feedback, and engage in discussions and networking. 

The Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG Move) of the European Commission recently published a Report to address the critical need for Safe and Secure Parking Areas (SSPAs) for professional drivers across the European Union, focusing on their availability, security standards, and development potential. This Report highlights persistent challenges in the road transport sector, including driver shortages, inadequate parking infrastructure, and security concerns, which hinder the sector’s operational efficiency and driver well-being. To address this issue, the Study recommends strategic investments, including the rapid upgrade and certification of existing parking areas that already meet the required safety and security standards. Furthermore, this Report highlights that improved connectivity and digitalisation are essential drivers for making SSPAs more accessible and attractive.  

The Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG Move) of the European Commission announced updated rules for safer roads, less air pollution and digital vehicle documents. The new rules will take into account the growing presence of electric vehicles and adapt to emerging technologies. They will introduce enhanced inspections, including periodic technical inspections for electric vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems, annual inspections for older cars and vans, and advanced emission testing methods to detect high-emitting vehicles to reduce fine particles pollution. The proposed changes reflect the EU’s commitment to safe and sustainable mobility while ensuring the free movement of people and goods. Between 2026 and 2050, it is estimated that these proposals will save around 7,000 lives and prevent around 65,000 serious injuries. 

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) organized with great success the PIN Talk titled “Improving the road safety of e-scooters“, which was held online, on 13 May 2025. This event looked both at how the safety of the vehicles themselves could be improved and how road rules can also improve safety by focusing on the available data relating to e-scooter user deaths and serious injuries.    NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:

•  Safer Micromobility

The European Survey of Road users’ safety Attitudes (ESRA) together with VIAS Institute are organizing the ESRA: 10 years event of global road safety insights and impact which will take place in Brussels, Belgium on 24 June 2025. This event is a unique opportunity to reflect on the evolution of the ESRA initiative and its impact on road safety policy. Key findings from 10 years of research will be presented, unveiling a dedicated report and the new ESRA dashboard, and will be explored how these insights can drive future improvements in road safety. Furthermore, ESRA4 will be introduced, the next phase in the mission to create safer roads through data-driven strategies. 

The Dutch Institute for Road Safety (SWOV) is organizing the Trendline 2025 Conference which will take place in The Hague, Netherlands on 10-11 June 2025, a key event for professionals working with road safety data, policy, and innovation. This Conference will present the results of the initial road safety KPIs (and compare these with the Baseline values), discuss the methodologies for the new KPIs, and show how KPIs can be used to support road safety policies. This Event is expected bring together partners from across Europe and the participants will be updated on the next phase of Trendline.   Participation is free upon registration. Programme can be found here.

A paper titled Laboratory of Traffic Engineering authored by  Lv Yisheng , George Yannis and Eleni Vlahogianni, has been published in IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Magazine. This paper focuses on the Laboratory of Traffic Engineering of NTUA (LTE), established in 1998. The mission of the NTUA LTE is to provide scientists and engineers with a high level of education and to promote research in the field of traffic engineering. The LTE’s educational and research activities are characterized by high innovation, excellent organization, and great utility for society. The LTE contributes to a vast spectrum of scientific fields, including predictive traffic management, road safety, and connected and cooperative automated mobility (CCAM). Some of the indicative Projects of LTE are: DIT4TRAM, PHOEBE, IMPROVA, FRODDO and SHOW. 

A paper titled Investigation of hit-and-run crash severity through explainable machine learning authored by Stella Roussou, Apostolos Ziakopoulos and George Yannis, has been published in Transportation Letters. This study, uses a 5-year dataset from Victoria, Australia and analyzed with CatBoost algorithms and SHAP values using explainable machine learning techniques, to highlight key severity factors. Findings suggest that the presence of police at the crash scene emerges as the most critical determinant, underscoring the importance of law enforcement in mitigating severe crash outcomes. Furthermore crashes involving passenger vehicles and those on weekends were also linked to higher severity. These novel findings offer valuable insights for targeted interventions and policy-making to mitigate the impact of severe hit-and-run crashes and enhance road safety. 

A paper titled Analyzing the safety effects of different operating speeds for an autonomous shuttle bus service authored by Maria Oikonomou, Marios Sekadakis, Christos Katrakazas and George Yannis has been published in Traffic Safety Research. This study utilizes microscopic simulation analysis in order to quantify the impact of road safety of an automated shuttle bus service within traffic. In the traffic network of Villaverde, Madrid, several scenarios were simulated using the Aimsun software considering the various CAV MPRs and the different operational speeds of the service, namely 15, 30, and 45 km/h. The analysis revealed that the conflict frequency is lower when the shuttle bus operates at 45 or 30 km/h compared to 15 km/h, with the 45 km/h speed showing the largest reduction. This reduction in conflicts is probably due to the shuttle bus adapting more easily to the average traffic speed and is more synchronized with traffic flow. The current study establishes a solid relationship for the conflict frequency of AV shuttles enabling stakeholders to optimize road safety towards a future of automated traffic. 

WHO Regional Office for Europe together with Vias institute organized with great success the 3rd E-Survey of Road Users’ Attitudes (ESRA3) Webinar which took place online, on 7 May 2025 focusing on supporting road safety insights, policies and practices. The Webinar topics concerned:  Linking ESRA and the WHO Global Status Report – Overview, Key Insights, and the Road Ahead of ESRA Initiative – Speeding Behaviour and Support for 30km/h Zones – Gender Specific Risk and Policy in Road Safety – ESRA3 Insights from Latin America – Age and Impaired Driving. NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:

• Self-reported speeding and the support for 30km/h zones

   

Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility (CSR) Hellas organized with great success the CSR-Atelier#6 which took place in Athens, Greece on 3 April 2025 under the theme “Health and Safety“. This Event included presentations focusing on concepts, techniques and tools for workplace risk identification and assessment, as well as a discussion on road safety in supply chains.   NTUA actively contributed with the following presentation:

• Operational Fleet Road Safety Management

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) together with the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) have launched “Learn – Ride – Enjoy – Repeat”, a European-wide Campaign designed to encourage novice and experienced riders to take high-quality voluntary motorcycle training. This Campaign aims to inspire European riders to take the next step in their journey by enrolling in certified training programmes, ensuring more riders have access to advanced tools and knowledge to enjoy motorcycling safely and responsibly. The Campaign builds on the success of the European Motorcycle Training Quality Label – voluntary certification of high-quality post-license training courses across Europe. As motorcycling continues to serve as a key mobility and leisure tool for millions across Europe, improving rider safety remains a top priority.  

The UN Road Safety Collaboration is organizing the global campaign for the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, which will be held on 12-18 May 2025. World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with partners, are organizing periodic UN Global Road Safety Weeks. This 8th edition offers an opportunity to spur action at national and local levels to make walking and cycling safe, by highlighting concrete and specific interventions that can be taken by different stakeholders – governments, international agencies, civil society, businesses and schools. These actions will help promote and facilitate a shift to walking and cycling, which are more healthy, green, sustainable and economically advantageous modes of transport.