Leipzig: Transport ministers and senior officials from member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) gathered in Germany on Wednesday to discuss how to strengthen the resilience of transport systems as global trade and travel face growing transport disruptions.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the three-day International Transport Forum (ITF) Summit opened in the eastern city of Leipzig under the theme "Funding Resilient," bringing together some 1,200 participants, including representatives from 69 member countries. Participants are focusing on how to mobilize investment and develop financing strategies to improve the long-term reliability, efficiency, and connectivity of transport infrastructure and operations.
Resilience in the transportation realm refers to the ability of transport systems to continue operating or recover quickly from external shocks. The ITF Summit, which runs from May 6 to 8 under Azerbaijan's presidency, is the world's largest gathering of transport ministers and a leading global forum for transport policy. This year's theme is the second in a three-year series on transport resilience running from 2025 to 2027.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve resilience was also a key topic during the forum. A ministerial roundtable titled "Steering AI for Transport Resilience: Governance and Funding Pathways" featured speakers including South Korea's Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Hong Jee-sun and Na Ki-ho, vice president at Hyundai Motor Co.
The adoption of AI by transport authorities was one of two recommendations endorsed by ITF members last year. As part of follow-up efforts, the South Korean government plans to integrate data from telecommunications networks and transport cards into large datasets and develop AI-based systems for demand-forecasting and investment analysis, Hong said. He added that supporting private-sector innovation remains a key government role.
"As AI continues to evolve, regulatory frameworks must keep pace with technological and market changes," Hong said. "We are creating testbed environments and regulatory-free zones where new technologies can be tested in real-world road and urban settings."
Hyundai Motor presented its AI-enabled mobility technologies, including autonomous driving and its demand-responsive transport platform "Shucle," which uses real-time data to optimize vehicle operations. The Shucle service is currently operating in Sejong City and Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. Na said the company also plans to expand the use of AI in manufacturing, building on the adoption of robotics in logistics.
Hyundai aims to transform itself from a traditional automaker into a mobility solutions provider by investing in advanced robotics, including Atlas, a humanoid robot developed by its U.S. subsidiary Boston Dynamics Inc. The company plans to establish a robotics production facility in the United States by 2028 to mass-produce up to 30,000 Atlas units for use in manufacturing.
Despite the benefits of AI, Na cautioned that its deployment requires not only upfront investment but also sustained spending on skilled personnel to manage and oversee AI systems.
At a press conference marking the summit's opening at the Congress Center Leipzig (CCL), ITF Secretary General Kim Young-tae said the organization is helping governments better assess risks and improve preparedness in response to geopolitical uncertainty. Referring to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, he said such events highlight the need to strengthen resilience in global transport systems. Citing estimates from the World Bank, Kim noted that the cost of inaction over the next decade could reach US$1 trillion.
"Policymakers need to build a strong case for investing in resilience by clearly demonstrating returns and quantifying the benefits," he said.
The ITF Summit, which runs from May 6 to 8 under Azerbaijan's presidency, is the world's largest gathering of transport ministers and a leading global forum for transport policy. This year's theme is the second in a three-year series on transport resilience running from 2025 to 2027.