The 2026 ITS World Congress in Gangneung, South Korea, recognised outstanding contributions to Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), announcing Prof Phil Blythe CBE as the recipient of the ITS Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award, the City of Leuven in Belgium as the winner of the Local Government Award, and the Dutch company Monotch as the recipient of the Industry Award.
The awards celebrate the individuals, organisations and public authorities advancing intelligent, safe, efficient and sustainable mobility worldwide.
Newcastle University’s Professor of Intelligent Transport Systems and former UK Department for Transport (DfT) Chief Scientific Adviser, Prof Phil Blythe CBE, was inducted into the ITS Hall of Fame during the Opening Ceremony on 19 October. Unable to attend, he was represented by Darren Capes, Head of Road Infrastructure Technology at the DfT, who accepted the award on his behalf.
Prof Blythe served as the DfT’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 2015 to 2021. At Newcastle University, he leads the Future Mobility Group and directs its Mobility and Transport Centre of Research Excellence. His research spans connected and autonomous vehicles, electromobility, transport decarbonisation and accessible transport.
Reacting to the honour, he told Highways News: “It’s hard to put into words how honoured and grateful I am for the ITS Hall of Fame award. Absolutely delighted.”
He also paid tribute to the colleagues and teams who had supported him throughout his career, describing the award as recognition of their collective contribution and the strength of the ITS community in the UK and worldwide.
The City of Leuven received the Local Government Award during Plenary Session 1 on Tuesday, 20 October.
Leuven was recognised for its leadership in intelligent and sustainable urban mobility. Through autonomous shuttles, smart traffic management, connected mobility services and intelligent cycling infrastructure, the city has integrated ITS into its wider vision for sustainable transport.
Its strong innovation ecosystem, including KU Leuven and imec, helps translate research into real-world solutions. Leuven’s focus on data-driven mobility, multimodal integration and climate neutrality demonstrates how cities can use technology and collaboration to address urban transport challenges. To find out more about Leuven's award and the innovative mobility initiative behind its success, read the city's full press release here.
Dutch ITS company Monotch received the Industry Award during Plenary Session 2 on Wednesday 21 October.
The award recognised Monotch’s contribution to advancing connected mobility and interoperable ITS solutions. In 2025, the company expanded its TLEX platform deployment, making TLEX Interchange available through the Microsoft Azure Marketplace to accelerate adoption of connected mobility solutions.
Monotch’s work highlights the importance of open, interoperable data solutions in building the next generation of transport systems.
This year’s recipients demonstrate the breadth of innovation advancing intelligent transport worldwide. From pioneering research and transport policy to connected mobility technologies and sustainable urban planning, their achievements highlight the importance of collaboration between researchers, industry and public authorities in delivering practical solutions for safer, smarter and more sustainable transport.
