Barcelona, we'll be back! From November 4 to 6, 2025, the Cluster Mobility & Logistics was part of the Bavarian delegation trip to the Smart City Expo World Congress – the international hotspot for smart city and mobility solutions. Together with Bayern Innovativ, Bayern International, and committed experts from business and research, the three-day event focused on the central question: How can we shape the urban mobility of tomorrow – together, in a networked and European way?
Bavaria shows its face – and its ideas
Anne Häner presented the Cluster Mobility & Logistics and the R_Lab Mobility, the Regensburg real-world laboratory for urban mobility, at the Bavarian joint stand – right in the middle of the trade fair action. A particular focus was on the urban mobility pilot projects from the R_Lab Mobility real-world laboratory, such as the Regensburg AI Driver's License, which had an immediate impact thanks to an inspiring exchange. The town of Etteln decided to integrate the concept into its village app – a strong sign of knowledge transfer from Bavaria to other regions.
European impetus and genuine cooperation
In addition to the trade fair highlights, visits to renowned research institutions were also on the agenda: inLab FIB, the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, and the i2CAT Foundation provided insights into current developments in data rooms, autonomous mobility, and urban intelligence. Particularly exciting was the DS4MOBMODELS project on the use of mobility data across regional borders – an approach that is also highly relevant for Bavarian cluster projects.
Female mobility power
Whether at the “Women in Mobility” meet-up, the pitch session at the Bavaria stand, or during exchanges with international networks, the role of women in the mobility transition was emphasized and lived out. The delegation trip thus also became a place for strengthening female perspectives in technology, business, and urban development.
Key takeaways:
- The exchange with Gaia-X and municipal partners shows that Bavarian solutions such as the Regensburg AI Driver's License are meeting real demand.
- i2CAT & inLab FIB offer starting points for European research and innovation projects – keywords CCAM & data rooms.
- Smart city also means transformation in the neighborhood. The tour of Barcelona's 22@ district and the superblock concept were impressive examples of urban future design and the relevance of co-creation in the context of test spaces such as the R_Lab Mobility.
Barcelona was a real highlight – for new ideas and strong networks. Thank you to all our fellow travelers and partners – we will stay on the ball and look forward to continuing the discussions!