New Perspectives and Challenges in Traffic and Transportation Engineering Supporting Energy Saving in Smart Cities

Abstract

Transportation, like other spheres of human activity, is constantly changing due to economic development. People are constantly improving the ways of moving using various energy sources, expanding infrastructures, and adapting cities to increasing traffic volumes. An efficient, modern, and demand-driven transportation infrastructure is the strength of a growing economy. The development of transportation improves the accessibility of regions and labor markets and reduces the nuisance caused by congestion. All these elements translate into economic benefits, competitiveness, increased productivity of enterprises and regions, as well as social benefits. However, transport consumes enormous energy resources; hence, all solutions in the scope of improving transportation infrastructure, vehicle construction, as well as modeling users’ and drivers’ behavior may constitute an element contributing to broadly saving energy.