Source: ELTIS by Hannah Figg, 19 March 2021 – TRIMIS (the Transport Research and Innovation Monitoring and Information System portal) is an open-access knowledge management system that consists of a large database of EU-funded and nationally-funded transport research projects and programmes together with an inventory of transport technologies and innovations.

It provides an assessment of technology trends and transport R&I capacities in the EU and aims at disseminating information and data to a wide range of stakeholders, as well as developing analytical tools relevant to the European transport system. It is an important resource which currently contains information on approximately 9,000 transport R&I projects and programmes, including many related to urban mobility, and acts as a central hub for transport researchers and policy makers all over Europe.

In 2017, the European Commission (EC) adopted the Strategic Transport Research and Innovation Agenda (STRIA) to promote transport research and innovation (R&I) for clean, connected and competitive mobility in the EU. Seven STRIA roadmaps that outlined priority areas with specific actions for future R&I were identified:

• Cooperative, connected and automated transport
• Transport electrification
• Vehicle design and manufacturing 
• Low-emission alternative energy for transport
• Network and traffic management systems
• Smart mobility and services
• Infrastructure

TRIMIS monitors the implementation and effectiveness of the roadmaps developed and it also supports the EU’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.

Specifically, the EC’s Joint Research Centre and TRIMIS address many aspects related to urban mobility and produced several analyses and reports including:

• The 2019 ‘Future of Cities’ report: This considers how cities can address future mobility challenges. It highlights the factors which are contributing to change in urban areas, bringing attention to future challenges, and sets out how cities can adopt solutions to develop cities of the future. For more information see here.
• A 2019 TRIMIS Digest on urban freight logistics: It explores the challenges or urban freight transport policies, electric vehicles and electric-assisted cargo bicycles as the solution for urban freight and the benefits of crowdshipping for urban logistics. For more information see here.
• A 2019 TRIMIS Digest on shared mobility: It discusses shared mobility models, the role of car-sharing in low-carbon mobility, willingness in car sharing and what users think about MaaS. For more information see here.
• A 2020 TRIMIS Digest focussing on sustainable urban freight: It explores the opportunities and challenges for innovative technologies to change the urban freight system, costs for electric light commercial vehicle, the impact of relocating freight facilities to the city edge on CO2 emissions, and how stakeholders can have a significant influence on freight operators. For more information see here.
• The 2020 ‘Research and innovation in smart mobility and services in Europe’ Report: This report provides a comprehensive analysis of R&I in smart mobility and services in Europe. It critically assesses research by thematic area and technologies, highlighting recent developments and future needs.
• The 2020 ‘Research and innovation in network and traffic management systems’ Report: This report provides a comprehensive analysis of R&I initiatives in seamless testing, adoption and integration of network and traffic management systems across Europe.
• The 2020 ‘Research and innovation in transport electrification‘ Report: This report provides a comprehensive analysis of R&I in transport electrification, having a major role to play in decarbonising transport (including urban) and in reducing its fossil fuel dependency.
• The 2020 ‘Indicators for monitoring the Strategic Transport Research and Innovation Agenda’ Report: This report presents the methodological approach and a first list of indicators that TRIMIS proposes to measure progress in European Union transport research and innovation, including many relevant to the urban context.

For more information on the projects and analyses related to urban mobility within TRIMIS, explore the website and search for ‘urban mobility’.

Photo credits: TRIMIS printscreen