IRU joined more than 3,000 transport researchers, policymakers, industry leaders and mobility stakeholders from over 60 countries at the 2026 Transport Research Arena (TRA) in Budapest, one of Europe’s largest events on transport research and innovation.
Through its involvement in major EU research projects, IRU engaged in discussions on the future of zero-emission freight transport, connected and automated mobility, and trustworthy AI in transport systems.
At the exhibition, IRU supported the EU-funded H2Accelerate TRUCKS project showcase, hosted at the Volvo Group booth, where visitors explored a hydrogen fuel cell truck set to enter real-world operations as part of the project.
H2Accelerate TRUCKS aims to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen-powered trucks and refuelling infrastructure. IRU is contributing with the operator perspective and stakeholder engagement throughout the project.
The truck drew strong attention throughout the four-day event, highlighting growing interest in hydrogen as a solution for decarbonising long-haul heavy-duty transport.
The showcase also became a meeting point for exchanges between industry, researchers and EU decision-makers. During a dedicated session, Volvo Group Executive Vice President Trucks Technology & Industrial and CTO Jens Holtinger, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Range Director Pedro Garcia, and Clean Hydrogen Partnership Executive Director Valérie Bouillon-Delporte stressed the importance of cross-sector cooperation to scale up hydrogen-powered freight transport.
European Commission Director-General for Mobility and Transport Magda Kopczyńska also visited the showcase, engaging with project partners and stakeholders on the future of zero-emission road transport and the EU’s broader sustainable mobility ambitions.
Beyond the exhibition floor, IRU contributed to the TRA 2026 technical programme through the AIthena project.
AIthena is an EU-funded research project focused on developing trustworthy and human-centric AI for connected and automated mobility. IRU provided transport sector expertise and real-world operational perspectives.
During a session on connected transport systems, IRU Research and Innovation Project Manager Silvia Barbaro presented the research paper “Integrating Trustworthy AI into CCAM: Enabling Uptake at Vehicle, Mobility Ecosystem and Industry Levels”, developed together with European mobility and AI research partners VICOMTECH and Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH.
The paper explores how trustworthy and human-centric AI can support the rollout of connected, cooperative and automated mobility, with a focus on transparency, explainability, regulatory alignment and real-world readiness.
IRU’s participation at TRA 2026 highlighted the growing role of collaborative European research projects in turning clean and intelligent mobility technologies into practical transport solutions.
