How can our streets and public spaces be redesigned to safely and effectively support connected and automated mobility (CCAM)? In this session, leading experts from across Europe explore what it takes to prepare public space for automated transport.
Hamid Zarghampour (Trafikverket), Guido di Pasquale (PAVE Europe), Michael Nikowitz (Austrian Federal Ministry) and Gonzalo Alcaraz (IRF) will discuss the role of infrastructure, policy and standards in enabling large-scale deployment of automated vehicles. Together, they will share insights on how cities and road authorities can adapt public space to support innovation while ensuring safety, accessibility and public value.
Michael Nikowitz serves as the Coordinator for Automated Mobility at Austria’s Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI). In this role, he is responsible for national strategies and action plans on automated mobility. He currently leads the development of a new regulatory framework for automated driving in Austria.
He holds a Master of Science in Engineering (Mechatronics & Robotics and Laser Engineering) from the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Vienna.
Before joining the ministry, Michael spent several years in the automotive sector as a robotics engineer and laser scientist, specializing in ultrashort-pulse laser systems. He later joined the Austrian Association for Advanced Propulsion Systems (A3PS), where he represented Austria at the International Energy Agency and co-authored technology roadmaps and working groups on eco-mobility and automated driving.
Since 2016, he has coordinated the Ministry’s initiatives on cooperative, connected, and automated mobility.
Alongside his government responsibilities, Michael lectures at universities on topics such as automated mobility, robotics, and laser engineering. He is also an active author of technical papers and industry publications on hybrid and electric vehicles as well as automated-mobility solutions.
Gonzalo Alcaraz, a seasoned expert in transportation technology, currently serves as the Director General of the International Road Federation (IRF). With over 15 years of experience in Internet of Things (IoT), urban mobility, Vehicle-to-Infrastructure communication (V2X), and Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM), Gonzalo Alcaraz has made significant contributions to the field.
Gonzalo holds a Telecommunications Engineering degree from Universidad Blas Pascal (Argentina), where he graduated in the top 5% of his class. He also completed a II Level Specializing Master in Wireless Systems and Related Technologies at Politecnico di Torino (Italy) and an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology (Sweden), with a thesis on “Measuring Disruptive Susceptibility: Insights from the ITS Industry”.
He has collaborated with industry leaders, government agencies, and academic institutions to integrate advanced technologies into transportation systems, significantly enhancing safety, efficiency, and sustainability. A multilingual professional, Gonzalo is fluent in Italian, English, and French, with native proficiency in Spanish.
Tom Alkim is Strategic Advisor for Connected & Automated Mobility at MAPtm, a Dutch company specializing in intelligent transport systems with consultancy, digital and operational services. With 25 years of experience in the public sector, Tom has played a leading role in advancing dynamic traffic management, cooperative ITS, and connected & automated Mobility. His career includes long-standing contributions at Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management, and the European Commission’s Directorate General for Research & Innovation.
During the Dutch EU presidency in 2016, Tom was a core team member behind two landmark initiatives: the Declaration of Amsterdam and the European Truck Platooning Challenge, both of which helped set the stage for Europe’s connected and automated mobility future.
Tom is actively engaged in international collaboration and thought leadership. He serves as the CCAM Partnership delegate for Physical & Digital Infrastructure, chairs the International Taskforce on Vehicle-Highway Automation (ITFVHA), co-chairs the IRF Connected and Autonomous Mobility Committee (CAMC) and sits on the International Advisory Board of Intertraffic. His current work spans several National and European research and innovation initiatives. Through these roles, Tom continues to shape the future of responsible, connected & automated mobility in Europe and beyond.
Guido Di Pasquale is Managing Director of PAVE Europe – Partners for Automated Vehicle Education, where he leads the association in the mission of educating citizens and public authorities about the benefits of fully driverless technologies related to safety, mobility, efficiency, sustainability and inclusiveness.
He has more than 20 years of experience in the transport and automation field, specialising in Intelligent Transport Systems, Automated Mobility, integrated mobility, research and innovation, strategy and policy.
Prior to joining PAVE Europe, Guido was Co-Director of Knowledge and Innovation at the International Association of Public Transport (UITP).
He has been contributing to and leading research projects co-funded by the EU under FP7, Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programmes, such as SHOW, ARCADE, FAME, ULTIMO, DIVERSIFY-CCAM, CCAM-ERAS, SYNERGIES, AUTOSUP, UPPER, IMOVE.
He has also worked for the industrial sector as Project Manager and Innovation Manager in the ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) for urban mobility, public transport, new mobility services and Co-operative systems.
His main fields of expertise are: Automated Road Transport, Mobility as a Service, IT and Telematics for Public Transport, Traveller information, integrated fare and ticketing systems, Management.
Guido Di Pasquale holds an MSc in Automation and Electronic Engineering.
