About

Our Role

As the premiere university research program on sustainable transportation, ITS-Davis continues to develop research on transportation, climate, air quality, safety, and innovation/industrial development issues.

With over 150 researchers and students focused on these topics, ITS-Davis is sharing its strong existing research capabilities with low-carbon vehicles and fuels, travel behaviour, freight logistics, urban planning, and modelling of future transportation and energy systems, with a focus on key policy-relevant issues.

ITS-Davis’ sterling reputation as a research-driven convener of transportation leaders has had a profound impact on policymaking in California and the United States. We hope ETERC will prove to play a similar role in the European Union, its Member States and partner countries that work closely with both the United States and Europe to develop policymaking efforts on sustainable transport and energy.

We leverage the unique position of a leading academic institution to convene thought leaders, policymakers, and industry representatives in context allowing for open and frank debates, enabling everyone to have insights for strategic planning and offering opportunities to the ITS-Davis to generate relevant research activities.

Benefits

  • Inform business decision-making and policymaking on the transportation decarbonisation process in the EU and US through innovative research; briefings of policymakers and senior staff in the EU, US, California, and many national governments; convening in-person and remote workshops; policy briefs based on research at the Centre and elsewhere; and presentations at conferences and events hosted by others.
  • Expand and enhance existing work done by ITS-Davis researchers, who have briefed European Commission staff on policy innovations in California and held joint workshops with the OECD, ITF, and the German government.  The Centre will also leverage ITS-Davis’ experience engaging with underrepresented communities.
  • Educate students from Europe and UC Davis who will be employed as research assistants, benefiting them personally and creating a pipeline for international experts. 
  • Link research to real-world global and national policy priorities by providing a model on how to engage policymakers worldwide. The Centre’s leadership will make sure to communicate successes (and challenges) to the broader transportation research community and beyond.

Research Focus

  • How best to decarbonize aviation, maritime transport and trucking? What is the role of sustainable, low-carbon fuels in this context? What are the implications for policymaking?
  • Is the achievement of 100% EVs feasible? How can we overcome challenges such as structural changes in supply/value chains and increases in upfront costs? Which policy instruments are available to deal with them?
  • How to ensure that the decarbonisation of road transport and the EV transition becomes an opportunity for the Global South
  • How to handle the transition to new mobility, including vehicle automation, in a way that is coherent with sustainable development?