Conference Days 2022: Accelerating the Traffic Transition with Digitalization

A "connected decarbonized mobility" is a vision for the transportation of tomorrow according to Daniela Kluckert, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. "Digitalization is important for this, as it saves resources," said the FDP member of the Bundestag at the online opening event of the HUSS-VERLAG Conference Days 2022 on March 21.

For the Managing Director of the German Transport Forum e.V. (DVF), Dr. Heike van Hoorn, "mobility must be thought of from the perspective of people." Everyone has a destination. Therefore, the various means of transportation must be interconnected in such a way that people reach their destinations safely, affordably, and in a climate-neutral manner, without spending more time traveling than necessary, she demanded at the event, which was opened by HUSS-VERLAG Managing Director Rainer Langhammer and LOGISTICS TODAY Editor-in-Chief Matthias Pieringer.

Continuing Support

To ensure that various funding initiatives in the areas of alternative drives, e-mobility, and mobility digitalization are successful, the State Secretary believes it is important that the support is sustained and that initiatives are implemented more quickly, for example through accelerated procedures. This is the responsibility of the entire federal government, but also all stakeholders. "For instance, they must provide spaces for new charging stations for e-mobility," said Kluckert in the discussion round moderated by Pieringer.

Incentivization when the Market Does Not Regulate Itself

Heike van Hoorn emphasized that funding initiatives are always necessary when the market does not regulate itself. This is the case, for example, with hydrogen technology in the area of alternative fuels. She called for a coordinated approach, and that charging stations be connected to the power grid right from the start and the grid capacities expanded accordingly. The measures should be broadly based, promoting e-mobility, fuel cells, and catenary technology simultaneously. The DVF managing director also desires that the project organization be unbureaucratic and that funding initiatives be carried out reliably.

Gigabit Strategy: Fast Network for All

To reduce bureaucratic hurdles in the transition to e-mobility and mobility 4.0, the State Secretary primarily relies on "utilizing digitalization." This would prevent media breaks and approve new initiatives faster. To this end, the ministry is relying on its Gigabit Strategy, which aims to provide high-speed internet across Germany. Today, already 62 percent of Germans could use 5G if they wanted to. "Digital will be the new normal," said Kluckert. Globalization will now proceed digitally.