At a time when many are waiting for stability to return, it’s great to see Umovity continuing to develop strongly under its new leadership team - because progress today comes from acting in uncertainty, not waiting it out - wishing all PTV Group. Econolite, Bridgepoint Group and Porsche Automobil Holding SE teams a very Merry Christmas!
Globally, uncertainty is no longer cyclical - it has become structural. Trade fragmentation, geopolitical conflict and the re-pricing of energy and capital have reshaped the environment in which companies and governments operate. OECD - OCDE and International Monetary Fund outlooks consistently show that policy uncertainty and geopolitical risk are now among the most significant constraints on investment. In this context, honesty with citizens and stakeholders, investment courage, and technological confidence are essential.
Politics, particularly in Germany, is facing the same stress test as the industry: managing transformation costs while sustaining public trust.
Economically, recent data shows a clear divergence across the trans-Atlantic economy. In both Europe and the United States, companies that continued to invest through volatility - especially in digital infrastructure, energy efficiency, and resilient supply chains - are achieving higher productivity growth and stronger margins. In the #ITS sector, this is visible in data-driven traffic management, predictive maintenance of infrastructure and AI-supported mobility platforms that reduce congestion, emissions and operating costs simultaneously. In the U.S., large-scale private investment under the Inflation Reduction Act is accelerating digital and physical infrastructure modernisation. In Europe, ITS players combining automation, AI and cross-border interoperability are proving more resilient to cost and capacity shocks.
On technology, #AI is not a speculative cycle - it is a general-purpose productivity technology. In #ITS, AI is already improving traffic flow prediction, incident response times, infrastructure utilisation and system reliability. The trans-Atlantic contrast is instructive: the U.S. currently leads in speed of deployment, while Europe’s opportunity lies in translating strong engineering, industrial depth, and regulatory credibility into faster implementation and skills development.
Looking ahead to 2026, competitiveness will be shaped by trust - trust in institutions, in innovation and in the ability to manage transformation transparently. The call to action is clear: policymakers must provide predictable frameworks, invest in digital and physical infrastructure and communicate trade-offs honestly; industry must invest with courage, scale proven technologies, and take shared responsibility for workforce transformation!
Merry Christmas and all the best for 2026!
