The Editorial for the Special Issue Emerging Solutions and Technologies for Smart Mobility and Vehicle Safety in Transportation authored by Eva Michelaraki and George Yannis has been published in Vehicles. This Special Issue was conceived to explore how emerging technologies contribute to safer, more efficient and more sustainable transportation systems. Particular attention is given to AI-driven decision-making, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), intelligent transportation systems (ITS), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, connected and autonomous vehicles, and data-centric approaches to traffic safety and mobility management. The papers published in this Issue reflect the multidisciplinary nature of modern transportation research, addressing topics such as driver behaviour analysis, crash prediction and prevention, automated driving, adaptive traffic management, smart infrastructure, and predictive analytics. Although diverse in their specific application domains, these contributions collectively demonstrate that the future of transportation safety and smart mobility will be shaped by the convergence of artificial intelligence, connectivity, automation, human-centred design, and evidence-based operational strategies.  

The European Road Safety Charter of the European Commission recently published an article titled “Reduce speed to save lives” highlighting that an estimated 10% to 15% of all road crashes and as much as 30% of fatal crashes are directly linked to speeding. The article underlines that speed not only increases the likelihood of a crash but also makes its consequences far more severe for vulnerable road users: when a pedestrian is struck by a car at 30 km/h, their chance of survival is about 90%, while at 50 km/h this drops drastically to approximately 20%. Scientific evidence shows that implementing a city-wide 30 km/h speed limit can reduce fatalities by an average of 37%, while also contributing to an 18% reduction in emissions, a 2.5 dB decrease in noise pollution and a 7% reduction in fuel consumption, with minimal impact on travel times. 

The European Commission is organizing the EU Road Safety Conference which will take place on 23 November 2026 in Brussels. This flagship event marks the halfway point in Europe’s 10-year strategy to halve road deaths and serious injuries by 2030 and will bring together policymakers, researchers, employers, and civil society leaders to explore the future of safe mobility. At this EU Road Safety Conference will also be presented the Excellence in Road Safety Awards, recognizing the contributions of the European Road Safety Charter’s community towards the common goal of improved road safety across Europe.  The Award categories for 2026 include education, technology, vulnerable road users, at work and urban measures and urban initiatives. 

At a recent podcast in Break It Down, NTUA Professor George Yannis discusses how the traffic system works, congestion, private cars and public transport. The discussion highlighted that congestion is the norm in modern cities and that improving mobility requires better alternatives to private cars, including faster buses, expanded metro networks, cycling and walking. Special emphasis was given to traffic management, bus lane enforcement, the implementation of 30 km/h speed limits and the role of education and enforcement in changing road safety culture. The discussion also highlighted that the significant reduction in road fatalities in Greece during 2025 demonstrates that consistent enforcement can save lives. Full article and related video-podcast are now available.   

The Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) of the European Commission recently published the third edition of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) Guidelines, providing cities across Europe with improved support to plan, develop and implement sustainable urban mobility. The updated SUMP Guidelines are aligned with key frameworks such as the European Green Deal, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the Road Safety Policy Framework, the new EU Urban Mobility Framework, and reflect the requirement under the revised TEN-T Regulation for 431 urban nodes across Europe to adopt a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan by end 2027. Related to the updated SUMP Guidelines, the SUMP Reference Document on Cycling and the Urban Vehicle Access Regulations were also published.

The Horizon Europe research project TRUST has recently released its 1st Newsletter, providing updates on the first year of activities of the project, which aims to grow a positive Traffic Safety Culture across Europe through a systematic transition towards shared responsibility for safe and sustainable mobility. The Newsletter highlights that TRUST project partners presented at two major road safety conferences: the IRTAD 2026 Conference in Athens and the TRA 2026 Conference in Budapest. It also announces the launch of the first episode of the TRUST Podcast, in which TRUST Advisory Board members discuss traffic safety culture, as well as upcoming pilot activities for testing TRUST interventions in secondary schools, exploring how different approaches can improve Traffic Safety Culture among young people. 

The Foundation VINCI Autoroutes recently published the results of the 16th Euro-Barometer for Responsible Driving by Ipsos BVA, in which representative attitudes of Europeans at the wheel are recorded, enabling also the monitoring of the evolution of risky driving and good practices to better target prevention messages in European countries. According to this Study, Greece has the highest rate of drivers (89%) that fear aggressive behavior from other drivers (EU average 82%), while 76% of Greek drivers admit exceeding the speed limit by a few km/h. Furthermore, 66% of Greek drivers admit talking on the phone while driving and 37% of Greek drivers do not always wear their seatbelt, more than double the EU average of 17%. 

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) recently published a Guide titled “Rightsizing Urban Mobility: The L-Category integration guide for European cities“. This hands-on guide focuses on helping local authorities close that gap and reflect L-category vehicles: mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles, within their Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs). The Guide provides cities with evidence-based recommendations across three interconnected action fields: mobility, safety, recognizing riders as vulnerable road users,  and environment, and includes a comprehensive annex of actionable policy measures that cities can implement without major infrastructure investment. The evidence highlights that 10% shift from cars to L-category vehicles could cut congestion by nearly 40%, benefiting all road users, while four motorcycles fit in a single car parking bay, freeing space for pedestrians, businesses and greenery.  

The Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG Move) of the European Commission recently published a Report, assessing the current state of cycling within the European Union. This Study identified over 900,000 km of cycling paths and lanes network at EU level, providing a first comparable EU overview of the network accessible to cyclists, and found that almost 24% of EU residents cycle at least once per week, while bike sharing services are present in the vast majority of EU cities with over 150,000 inhabitants, corresponding to a fleet size of about 300,000 bikes. The study includes findings and recommendations on the methodology for the current and future collection of cycling data in the EU, as well as 27 country fiches with a detailed overview for each country.   

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) recently published a report titled “Mapping the Automated Mobility Ecosystem: Landscape and Key Developments“, drawing on data from the European CCAM Observatory. This Report presents a landscape analysis, covering 122 automated mobility services and mapping 1,940 component–supplier pairs across 937 unique companies operating in 12 technology categories, examining the geographic distribution of service deployments, the composition and sourcing patterns of technology stacks, and the structure of the industrial ecosystem underpinning automated driving. Furthermore, a dedicated assessment of Europe’s position reveals that EU-based suppliers account for approximately 18% of all mapped component–supplier pairs and 165 unique companies, with relative strengths in connectivity, cybersecurity, and V2X communication, but notable gaps in software-intensive categories such as AI and planning, cloud infrastructure, and ADS development. Moreover, the findings are intended to support evidence-based policymaking on the competitiveness and strategic autonomy of the European CCAM sector. 

A Paper titled Learning-based methods for spatial road safety analysis using in-vehicle telematics data: A systematic review authored by Simone Paradiso, Apostolos Ziakopoulos and George Yannis has been published in Journal of Safety Research. This Paper presents a structured review of the existing literature at the intersection of learning-based methods, spatial analysis, and surrogate safety measures derived from in-vehicle telematics data, following PRISMA guidelines, where 44 studies were identified and analyzed. The studies were analyzed and narratively synthesized focusing on data collection methods, feature engineering processes, and their implications on the selection of the spatial scale, with methods ranging from traditional econometrics to cutting-edge deep learning techniques. The findings suggest that advancements in AI and telematics data are reshaping road safety research, providing new tools to interpret safety analyses and generate actionable insights, while clarifying the relationships among data sources, feature selection, and spatial scale would strengthen the analytical framework and improve understanding for safer mobility.  

A Paper titled Conflict angle analysis at multilane roundabouts using naturalistic vehicle trajectory data from UAVs authored by Apostolos Anagnostopoulos, Apostolos Ziakopoulos, Fotini Kehagia, Athanasios Theofilatos, Pantelis Kopelias and Nikolaos Eliou has been published in Traffic Injury Prevention. This Paper aims to enhance current knowledge by employing Surrogate Safety Measures (SSMs) to investigate conflict angles at modern multilane roundabouts in Greece using naturalistic vehicle trajectory data collected via Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Detailed vehicle trajectory data from four modern multilane roundabouts in Thessaloniki, Larissa and Volos were collected through UAV video recordings and processed using vehicle tracking software, with a mixed-effects Beta-regression Model (BRM) with site-varying random intercepts applied to model conflict angles. The findings suggest that the location of conflicts within the roundabout significantly affects the conflict angle, and that site-specific characteristics have a substantial impact, emphasizing that roundabout safety performance can vary by location.

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), in cooperation with DG RTD, recently launched the Global Connected, Cooperative and Automated Mobility (CCAM) Observatory.  The Observatory provides a science-based, neutral hub that monitors the global ecosystem of connected and automated road mobility, by mapping private-sector developments across the full technology stack, tracking Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) of key components, and producing evidence-based recommendations that inform EU-level and national investment decisions. It currently tracks 1,335 ecosystem participants, 937 suppliers, 123 services and 44 countries. 

The International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) recently announced the launch of the updated Star Rating Model Version 3.10, marking a major milestone in the evolution of global road safety assessment. Following a comprehensive five-year review, this new version introduces a significantly enhanced, evidence-based framework for measuring road infrastructure risk and guiding life-saving investments worldwide. Used in more than 140 countries, iRAP Star Ratings provide an objective measure of the level of safety “built in” to the design of roads for all road users, including vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists.  

A paper titled Spatial dynamics of crash hotspots under autonomous vehicle adoption scenarios authored by Maria Oikonomou and George Yannis has been published in Accident Analysis & Prevention. This Paper conducts a spatial modelling analysis to predict crash hotspot occurrences under different AV deployment scenarios. The study combines microsimulation-derived conflict data, a quantitative crash-risk formulation, validated using field crash data, based on Time-To-Collision (TTC) thresholds, and spatial statistical analysis using the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic to detect statistically significant hotspots of elevated crash risk. The findings suggest that automation significantly alters the spatial distribution of crash risk, leading to a gradual reduction and spatial diffusion of hotspots as AV penetration increases. However, a temporary rise in the probability that conflict events occur within hotspot areas occurs under moderate automation shares, highlighting the transitional instability of mixed-traffic conditions. Furthermore, intersections and other high-interaction areas remained the most critical locations, while congested segments were associated with a higher probability that conflict events occur within hotspot areas.  

A paper titled Safety effects of take-over requests on vehicle conflicts in realistic mixed traffic simulation authored by Marios Sekadakis, Maria Oikonomou and George Yannis has been published in Accident Analysis & Prevention. This Paper investigates how take-over-related dynamics in Automated Driving (AD) influence safety interactions in mixed traffic using a spatial Generalized Additive Model (GAM) applied to a calibrated microsimulation of a real highway corridor in central Greece. Methodologically, this study combines microsimulation, SSAM-based surrogate safety analysis, and multivariate spatial GAM modeling to quantify TOR effects on AD-Human Driven Vehicle (HDV) interactions at the network level. The findings suggest that higher automation shares and speed limits were associated with longer Time-to-Collision (TTC) , reflecting smoother and more stable interactions, whereas take-over events consistently reduced TTC regardless of Time Budget (TB), confirming elevated short-term risk during control transitions. Furthermore, automation benefits scale with market share but are constrained by transition management and roadway geometry, emphasizing the importance of spatially aware, take-over-sensitive safety strategies in mixed traffic. 

Eurocities recently published the results of a Survey on 30 km/h speed limits in European cities, based on responses from 38 cities in 19 European countries. 75% of cities report clear positive results, with fewer road deaths and injuries, while 91% report at least one positive impact on urban life, such as a lower number of crashes and fatalities, a decrease in air and noise pollution, and an increase in active mobility modes. Cities report reductions in crashes, fatalities and serious injuries for all road users, alongside lower vehicle speeds and reduced noise pollution. Crucially, these gains come without trade-offs: respondents report no overall negative effects on congestion, traffic volumes or journey times, and only limited, manageable impacts on public transport. 

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has published the 50th PIN Flash Report titled “Improving the safety of cycling in Europe“. This Report analyses recent trends in cyclist deaths and serious injuries across Europe and identifies the key risk factors affecting cyclists on European roads. Furthermore, it examines the policies and measures that can help improve cycling safety while supporting the continued growth of cycling as a safe, healthy and sustainable mode of transport such as the introduction and enforcement 30 km/h speed limits on urban roads. The European Union has committed to reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030, as part of its Vision Zero ambition. Ensuring that cyclists benefit from progress towards these targets is essential, especially as cycling levels continue to grow.   

Virginia Petraki has successfully defended her PhD thesis titled “A Multilevel Integrated Assessment of Safe and Green Mobility”, under the supervision of NTUA Prof. George Yannis. Sustainable mobility is a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing road safety, as well as economic and environmental impacts. This doctoral dissertation develops a data-driven framework for the multilevel assessment of safe and green mobility, spanning from individual trips to the road network, by fusing road infrastructure, traffic, and weather-related data with high-resolution naturalistic driving behavior data. The developed framework is structured around three complementary analytical modules, including (i) the identification of safe and green mobility patterns, (ii) the joint modeling of safe and green driving outcomes, and (iii) the assessment of sustainable driving efficiency. The results reveal that safe and green mobility are strongly interconnected yet context-dependent, exhibiting both synergies and trade-offs across levels of analysis, while highlighting the critical role of driving behavior and external conditions in shaping these interactions. Overall, the dissertation provides a comprehensive and interpretable analytical framework that supports informed and targeted interventions towards more sustainable mobility for all.    

The Horizon Europe research project IMPROVA has recently released its 4th Newsletter, focusing on enhancing road safety by addressing the complexities of long-term consequences (LTC) caused by road traffic crashes. This version of the Newsletter focuses on WP updates and advancements, as well as two IMPROVA papers presented during the IRTAD 2026 Conference in Athens. Key WP updates include the launch of the Functional Capacity Index and the integration of European crash data into a new head-injury metamodel. Furthermore, the Newsletter announces the upcoming IMPROVA General Assembly in Athens.

The EU co-funded research project GreCO successfully participated in a direct dialogue with the European Commission and in a Focused Policy Lab of the European Urban Initiative on Sustainable Tourism, held on 22–23 April 2026 in Copenhagen. GreCO Project in collaboration with the Municipality of Elliniko-Argyroupoli, actively contributed to the discussions focused on the green transition, digitalization, inclusion and balanced tourism management, as well as the promotion of sustainable behaviours and experiences, directly contributing to the shaping of the upcoming European Strategy for Sustainable Tourism. This participation was an important opportunity for the exchange of knowledge and experience with representatives from the European Commission, policymakers and professionals from across Europe.  

A paper titled Tram or Bus? A Stated-Preference Analysis of Road User Mode Choice in Larissa, Greece authored by Athanasios Theofilatos, Apostolos Ziakopoulos, Apostolos Anagnostopoulos, Georgios Georgiadis, Ioannis Politis and Nikolaos Eliou has been published in Systems. This Paper aims to investigate Public Transport (PT) preferences in the city of Larissa, Greece. To this end, a SP survey was designed and implemented, resulting in 972 observations that were collected for further statistical analysis. Survey results show a slight preference for trams over buses, with 54.63% selecting the tram and 45.37% favoring the buses. The findings also indicate that passengers place a high value on the quality of infrastructure related to access and waiting times, underlining the need to improve the overall user experience beyond the vehicle itself. In summary, the present research offers valuable insights into how the introduction of a tram system could possibly reshape PT usage patterns when compared with the legacy existing bus services.

Micro-Mobility for Europe (MMfE) recently published its latest incident data, covering more than 450 million trips across the EU27, Israel, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. The data confirms that injury risk for shared e-scooters and e-bikes continued to decline for the fifth consecutive year, with shared e-bike injuries per million trips falling by 18.4% compared to 2024, and a 24% reduction in shared e-scooter injury risk per million trips since 2021. MMfE is currently working together with NTUA on a more detailed analysis of micro-mobility safety trends, aimed at further strengthening the evidence base for policymaking and infrastructure improvements. Despite the positive trajectory, reductions in serious injuries and fatalities are not yet happening fast enough to meet European Commission targets under its Vision Zero objective. 

The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Ms. Annalena Baerbock, recently submitted the Draft Resolution “Scope, modalities, format and organization of the high-level meeting on improving global road safety“. Τhe Draft Resolution is leading the discussion towards the High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety in New York, on 20-21 July 2026, under the theme “Scaling up and accelerating implementation of commitments to halving road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030”, in line with the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. It also initiated a multi-stakeholder hearing, bringing together Governments, civil society organizations, academia and the private sector. 

Τhe African Road Safety Charter has recently been ratified by 15 African Union Member States, which is the minimum threshold required for it to come into force. This marks an important step towards stronger accountability, coordinated action, and safer roads across the continent. To support members in understanding this development, the Alliance recently held a capacity building session focused on the Charter and its implications. 

Eleni Karydi passed away on 18 April 2026. Karydi was a founding member and President of the Association for the Support of Road Accident Victims (EYTHYTA – Road Safety Observatory) since its establishment in 2004, serving with unparalleled resilience, vision and international recognition. She also served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR), dedicating her life to the fight for road safety and the protection of road accident victims in Greece and beyond.

The Horizon 2020 research project PHOEBE has recently released the PHOEBE 7th Newsletter, which provides information on the latest outcomes of the EU-funded ‘Predictive Approaches for Safer Urban Environment’ (PHOEBE) project aiming to increase the road safety of vulnerable road users, especially those who use active mobility and e-scooters. Final PHOEBE consortium meeting took place in the West-Midlands, where PHOEBE partners planned the upcoming final conference and focused on the topics of systems integration, transferability, and exploitation of PHOEBE results. Additionally, this edition of the newsletter announces the Final PHOEBE Workshop at RSS 2026 Conference. 

The European Road Safety Charter of the European Commission, has recently published a new Article focusing on safer children journeys to school. While the European Union has made long-term progress in reducing road deaths, recent data shows improvement has slowed, highlighting the need for renewed action – especially for vulnerable road users such as children. There are several factors that may contribute to risk during school travel, such as the increase in private car as default mode to travel to school, traffic congestion, infrastructure and vehicle safety. Some countermeasures include school streets, improved infrastructure such as crossings and good visibility around schools and road safety education and awareness for children and parents. 

A NTUA Diploma Thesis titled “Investigation of the Acceptance of Autonomous Vehicles by Greek Drivers” was recently presented by Konstantina Roumelioti. The aim of this study was to investigate the acceptance of autonomous vehicles by Greek drivers, as well as their intention for future purchase, focusing on the factors that shape their attitude towards this new technology. Data collection was carried out through a properly designed questionnaire, which included hypothetical travel scenarios with varying parameters, such as safety, cost, and time, in order to capture users’ preferences and perceptions. The results indicated that the acceptance of autonomous vehicles depends, among other factors, on cost, travel time and vehicle safety level. Furthermore, the need and possibility of being able to take control of the vehicle at any time increased the likelihood of choosing autonomous vehicles, positively influencing their acceptance.   

A NTUA Diploma Thesis titled “Cost Benefit Analysis of 30 km/h speed limit implementation in all EU cities” was recently presented by Gerasimos Balatsinos. To achieve this objective, a methodological framework consisting a statistical analysis of road crashes and a Cost–Benefit Analysis at a macroscopic level were developed. Initially, road crash data recorded within urban areas for the period 2016–2022 were collected for each EU Member State. Subsequently, the data was utilized to develop two logistic regression models, incorporating fixed and random effects. The results indicate that crash severity is primarily influenced by the type of transport mode, lighting conditions, and age, while other factors exhibit a smaller yet statistically significant effect. Furthermore, substantial variation is observed across EU countries in terms of baseline risk levels. The findings suggest that the implementation of a 30 km/h speed limit constitutes an economically feasible measure at the European level, yielding a positive Economic Net Present Value (ENPV) of approximately €18 billion. At the city level, the ENPV ranges from approximately €90 million (Paris) to €4.6 billion (London).