According to the Head of the DGT, the Future of Traffic 'Will Be Shared or It Will Not Be'

The Director General of Traffic, Pere Navarro, participated in the Global Mobility Call held in Madrid, during a session dedicated to promoting new mobility. He emphasised that 'the future of traffic will be shared or it will not be.'

Navarro explained that traffic jams, which previously occurred during holiday periods, have now decreased thanks to more staggered departures and returns. However, as a downside, these issues have now shifted to the entrances and exits of major cities during peak hours on weekdays.

It has been observed that 85% of vehicles commuting daily from home to work and back have only one occupant. Considering that city access routes are already at full capacity, beyond seeking infrastructure expansion solutions, 'we must collectively change our mindset to encourage high vehicle occupancy, as we cannot afford to move 1,500 kg daily to transport a single person. Increasing vehicle occupancy is both a challenge and a necessity.'

In his address, the Director General of Traffic also reflected on the importance of mobility in the country's economic activity and, of course, in urban areas. 'We have seen this with the effects of the DANA in Valencia, the Black Friday package deliveries, and the forecasts for the Christmas campaign. It is clear that the future of cities lies in mobility. Those that manage it well will attract talent and investment, while those that do not will be trapped in noise, congestion, pollution, and accidents.'

At this forum, the DGT presented initiatives being developed to promote new mobility, with a particular focus on how data usage in a public-private collaboration context can contribute to safer and more efficient mobility. Marta Martínez, Head of the DGT Surveillance Area, explained the operation of DGT NAP, highlighting that real-time traffic and infrastructure information is necessary to improve safety and ensure accurate services reach users.

Meanwhile, Montserrat Estaca, Head of the DGT Telematics Area, also discussed how DGT 3.0 is used as an integrator of all information provided by various public and private systems that are part of mobility.

In this regard, Edgar Camelo, Product Partnership at Google, explained how the Google Maps map is updated 50 million times a day, thanks in part to DGT data, which is crucial for them due to the safety and efficiency it provides to users. 'We find this work commendable, and by collaborating together, we will make transportation more sustainable and connected.'