In May 2026, Future Mobility Campus Ireland joined a strong Irish delegation at the Transport Research Arena (TRA) conference in Budapest, Hungary. One of Europe’s most significant gatherings for transport researchers, policymakers, and innovators, TRA brings together thousands of stakeholders from across the globe to share the latest thinking on sustainable mobility, smart infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, and the future of how people and goods move.
This year, Ireland made its presence felt with a dedicated Ireland Pavilion—a unified stand representing the full breadth of the country’s transport ecosystem. Government agencies, state bodies, research institutions, industry players, and consultancies stood side by side, presenting a coordinated picture of Irish mobility innovation to the world.
FMCI spearheaded the organisation of the pavilion, bringing together partners including the Department of Transport, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, the National Transport Authority (NTA), Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the Road Safety Authority (RSA), National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), Arup, AECOM, Roughan & O’Donovan, and Research Ireland, among others.
FMCI participated in a conference tour for Ambassador of Ireland to Hungary, Ragnar Almqvist, and Minister of State Jerry Buttimer, who were led across a range of stands showcasing cutting-edge transport research and technology. The tour gave senior government representatives direct exposure to international developments in areas spanning connected and autonomous vehicles, sustainable infrastructure, and next-generation public transport. These innovations will shape mobility policy decisions in Ireland in the years ahead.
Throughout the conference, FMCI continued its core mission: championing Ireland as a leader in mobility innovation. Ireland’s combination of a progressive regulatory environment, world-class research institutions, and a compact, highly connected test environment presents a unique opportunity for companies developing next-generation transport technologies. With autonomous vehicle testing legislation advancing at home, Ireland is increasingly well-positioned to attract international partners looking to trial and validate new systems in real-world conditions with unique edge cases.
The Ireland Pavilion hosted a social drinks reception that drew an estimated 100 attendees from across the conference. Delegates from Europe and beyond gathered to connect, exchange ideas, and learn more about what Ireland’s transport ecosystem has to offer.
More than a social occasion, the reception was a demonstration of the kind of collaborative energy that defines Ireland’s approach to transport innovation: open, engaged, and eager to build relationships that go beyond the conference floor.
As Ireland creates more space for autonomous vehicle testing and accelerates its broader transport transformation, the need for coordinated action among Irish mobility stakeholders has never been greater. A healthy innovation environment requires government, industry, academia, and research bodies to build trust, align on shared goals, and present a unified voice to the world. The Ireland Pavilion at TRA 2026 did exactly that.
TRA gave Ireland’s key mobility stakeholders the chance to strengthen internal relationships and, at the same time, signal to an international audience that Ireland is ready to collaborate, co-develop, and lead.
For FMCI, TRA’s Ireland Pavilion was a reminder of what becomes possible when our transport community moves together.
Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI) is a dedicated testing and innovation facility for connected and autonomous vehicles and advanced air mobility located in Shannon. Learn more about our mobility services.
