As Transport Research Arena (TRA2026) kicks off in Budapest today, the spotlight is on new solutions for the future of sustainable and smart mobility – and iRAP is leading the charge for safer roads and streets.

Using the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) methodology, road safety infrastructure changes and safer speeds have prevented 860,000 deaths and serious injuries globally since 2016.

This week, iRAP is launching Star Rating Model Version 3.10, the latest update to its flagship methodology which has supported road safety assessments in 140 countries. Star Ratings provide an objective measure of the level of safety which is ‘built-in’ to the road for vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Lower star ratings indicate less safe roads, while 5‑star roads are the safest. The new model update is a major leap forward for evidence-based road safety investment, offering stronger protection for vulnerable road users and improved sensitivity to safety gains.

On Wednesday 20 May, iRAP will host its 2026 Innovation Workshop, a side event of TRA. The long-standing road safety event, hosted in major cities worldwide for more than a decade, will showcase the latest innovation, policy, technologies and investment helping to deliver future ready roads for safe, sustainable mobility. Read more here.

Latest research and tools will also be on show at iRAP and the European Institute of Road Assessment (EIRA) booth in the TRA exhibition. This includes current innovation projects funded by the European Commission and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI):

• PHOEBE – Predictive approaches for safer urban environments with 11 partners in three pilot cities
• ELABORATOR – Designing sustainable urban mobility towards climate-neutral cities with 38 partners in 12 pilot cities
• IVORY –  AI for Vision Zero in road safety industrial doctorates network with 23 partners for global impact
• CAMBER – Connected and Adaptive Maintenance for Safer Urban and Secondary Roads with 14 partners in five pilot cities.

Also on show this week is a new-look iRAP – with a fresh update of iRAP’s logo and branding, and a new website being unveiled later in the week. They represent a fresh and exciting chapter for our charity. Our new branding builds on the iRAP logo that has been recognised the world-over for 20 years, and with the updated 3-lane side swoosh in the logo and accompanying road user and transport pictograms, recognises that safe roads protect all road users with dedicated space and human-centric design.

iRAP CEO Greg Smith said, “Innovation and collaboration will be key to promoting safe, inclusive, green, and efficient transport systems throughout the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026–2035. At the same time, momentum must continue in the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030, which aims to halve global road deaths and injuries by 2030.

“In Europe, this is guided by the EU road safety policy framework and the Vision Zero ambition to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries by 2050, with a 50 per cent reduction target by 2030.

“iRAP is working with European and global partners to support evidence-based policy, investment, and action to eliminate high-risk roads. New tools and methods, including AI-based solutions like AiRAP, are enhancing network-wide road safety assessments and risk analysis, helping partners to optimise their decisions and road assets at scale. Safety approaches focussed on vulnerable road users are being tested in real-world living labs, and data combined in clear, actionable formats are informing safer, more resilient, and inclusive transport networks for people of all ages and abilities.”

“Innovation and collaboration will be vital to the future of smart and sustainable mobility. We’re really proud to be working with the European Commission and 38,000 partners across the world to innovate and optimise road safety in the transport sector,” Mr Smith said.

Transport Research Arena (TRA) is Europe’s largest conference on transport research and innovation. This year’s event, being held from 18-21 May in Budapest with the theme Re-Generation in Transport, is a collective call for renewal in response, engaging the next generation of thinkers, innovators, and leaders to drive transformation toward cleaner, more efficient, and forward-looking transport systems.

For more information:

• On iRAP’s Innovation Framework, projects and partnerships, click here.
• On the iRAP Innovation Workshop, click here.
• On iRAP Star Rating Model 3.10, click here.
• On TRA2026, click here.
• To meet with the iRAP team during TRA2026, contact Judy Williams, iRAP Global Programme and Communications Manager on email judy.williams@irap.org or visit Booth #21 in the TRA Exhibition at Hungexpo, Budapest.