International Podcar City Conference comes to Las Vegas, USA
November 8-10 2017 in Las Vegas, USA
Eleventh annual event focuses on automated mobility for
Smart City, Smart Transit, Smart Energy
Press release – for immediate release
San Jose, CA and Las Vegas, NV – July 27th 2017
The Eleventh Annual International Podcar City Conference is set for Wednesday – Friday,
November 8-10, at the City Hall of Las Vegas, NV. Podcar City will address the importance of
automated mobility and on-demand operations pertaining to energy, cityscape, and livability.
150-250 participants are expected, including city planners, transit planners, consultants,
architects, engineers, investors, developers, elected officials, and academics. Podcar City is
organized by the International Institute of Sustainable Transportation (INIST) of California and
the Advanced Transit Association with support from the Mineta Transportation Institute, San
Jose, CA,
In parallel and culminating at Podcar City, the Urban International Design Contest (UIDC) has
been organized to inspire municipalities and universities to think broadly about their transportation
network. The UIDC takes place from July 1 until October 16 and connects students and city
professionals with the goal to educate, inspire and motivate important stakeholders in how new
modes of sustainable public transportation can be utilized in an urban environment. Independent
judges will score each team on their presentation which must include Automated Transit Network
technology (ATN) defined as self-driving vehicles at grade and/or a separate guideway which
provides transportation for the general public, a real future city/urban project in need of transportation,
and a 4D simulation model. Currently the cities of Sundbyberg, Jacksonville, Las
Vegas, Gävle, Washington D.C and Perth are participating.
Information about the conference and the design competition is available at
www.podcarcity.org/lasvegas and www.facebook.com/UIDC2017
“Podcars are similar to the driverless trains we see at airports and other facilities around the
world,” said Christer Lindstrom of INIST. “But these are built as smaller cars for about six to
eight passengers. Initial systems are expected to fill the need for short trips or for connections
between transit modes. We expect the technology to eventually evolve into larger systems such as
the recently decided 1500 vehicle/100 kilometer system in Ajman, UAE. Elevated tracks will
allow them to operate without impacting street traffic and autonomous public vehicles using
existing roads are already deployed at various locations all over the world. Since the last
conference there has been a tremendous increase in interest and investment in these
technologies.”
The conference will open on Wednesday with a series of workshops and display of various
vehicles and concepts.
International speakers representing government, business, and professional organizations will
come from across the U.S., France, Australia, Sweden, Italy, the UK, Mexico, China and the
Netherlands.
Sessions include:
– Industry practice from around the world on autonomous transit systems
– Mobility planning from several cities utilizing live virtual 4D models
– Mobility as a Service (MaaS) & Automated Transit Networks (ATN)
– Global trends and project developments
– Smart city discussions including digital payment, and multimodal connectivity
– New mobility and its relationship to sustainability, energy and climate
– Safety and Security
– Integration of sensoring and the Internet of Things (IoT)
Matthew Lesh, formerly of the U.S Department of Transportation, is pleased to assist with the
organization of Podcar City. “The initiative fits perfectly within our knowledge and experience
on mobility services. Over the past several years we have seen a real convergence of Intelligent
Transportation Systems (ITS), mobile technology, and automation. Ensuring that we use these
technologies in a sustainable and meaningful way will have positive impacts not only on our
transportation networks, but on society, providing more access, greater accessibility, and added
efficiencies.
The Mineta Transportation Institute in San Jose, California has been a long-term supporter of
new, sustainable technologies that help address first and last mile challenges. “ATN’s are
designed to reduce congestion, improve mobility, and mitigate negative environmental impacts.
Such technology is a viable alternative in California as we prepare for the advent of high-speed
rail” says Karen Philbrick, PhD, Executive Director of the Mineta Transportation Institute.
Public Works Director David Bowers, City of Las Vegas;
“The city is proud to host this conference as we continue to be on the cutting edge of developing
safe practices that enable automated vehicle implementation, It is exciting to see these
developments and technology finding a home in downtown Las Vegas in the heart of our
Innovation District.”
For information and to register, go to www.podcarcity.org/lasvegas
ABOUT INIST
The International Institute of Sustainable Transportation (INIST) staff and partners have
comprehensive skills and experience in the core disciplines needed to build mobility projects that
dramatically improve quality of life – project management, general design, energy analysis,
innovative transportation solutions, public outreach, and more. INIST does not compete with
traditional consultancy studies. Rather, it provides conceptual designs in collaboration with
students, professionals, and advisors. INIST establishes partnerships with top key professional
organizations for best performance on all levels of a project – architects, developers, transit
specialists, solar consultants, and virtual model providers. www.inist.org
ABOUT ATRA
ATRA is a diverse group of people brought together by the common realization that the
transportation systems of the past can not meet the transportation needs of the future, or even the
present. As non-profit corporation, ATRA’s purpose is to encourage the development and
deployment of advanced transportation systems that will benefit society.
www.advancedtransit.org/
ABOUT MTI
At the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at San Jose State University (SJSU) our mission is
to increase mobility for all by improving the safety, efficiency, accessibility, and convenience of
our nation’s’ transportation system through research, education, workforce development and
technology transfer. We help create a connected world. MTI was founded in 1991 and is funded
through the US Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security, the California
Department of Transportation, and public and private grants. MTI is affiliated with SJSU’s Lucas
College and Graduate School of Business. http://transweb.sjsu.edu/
Media Contact:
Christer Lindstrom Diana Paul
Director, INIST. City of Las Vegas
+46-735-459179. +1-702-229-6582