TRIMIS: Modular development of an integrated policy-support tool for forward-oriented transport research and innovation analysis

Abstract

The European Commission’s Strategic Transport Research and Innovation Agenda (STRIA) outlines future transport research and innovation (R&I) priorities towards the decarbonization of European transport. Seven STRIA roadmaps focus on crosscutting research areas. In order to support and monitor their implementation, the Transport Research and Innovation Monitoring and Information System (TRIMIS) was developed. It is an integrated transport policy-support tool with a modular design, serving as a knowledge management system that offers open-access information, as well as an inventory of transport technologies and innovations. TRIMIS provides a holistic assessment of current and emerging technologies and trends and R&I capacities in the European transport sector incorporating foresight capabilities based on transport R&I data collection, innovation capacity mapping, technological status assessment, horizon scanning, and identification of new and emerging technologies and trends. This paper presents an overview of TRIMIS and its benefits as an integrated analytical tool that provides support to sustainable transport governance and decision-making. Moreover, it provides insights on current technology trends in the road transport domain with a focus on smart innovation and identifies emerging trends with a potential future impact through a dedicated case study, combining a techno-economic assessment with findings of a horizon scanning exercise.