Technological innovation in the mobility and transport sphere is still strongly aimed at vehicle- or infrastructure-based systems. Actual user needs in regard to accessibility and usability of the links between different transportation modes are usually addressed by standardized planning processes. In a row of four consecutive Austrian research projects, every element in the chain of intermodal routes was addressed, starting from the user-centered features of public transport stops in both urban and rural transport systems, to the planning tasks involved in providing demand-driven public transport. The current iteration focuses on establishing a typology of intermodal mobility hubs, including a differentiated view of the potential users of a multimodal transport system and their respective needs at the station.

In recent years, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) have assisted in the decrease of road traffic fatalities, particularly amongst passenger car occupants. Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) such as pedestrians, cyclists, moped riders and motorcyclists, however, have not been that much in focus when developing ITS. Therefore, there is a clear need for ITS which specifically address VRUs as an integrated element of the traffic system. This paper presents the results of a quantitative safety impact assessment of five systems that were estimated to have high potential to improve the safety of cyclists, namely: Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Bicycle to Vehicle communication (B2V), Intersection safety (INS), Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection System+Emergency Braking (PCDS+EBR) and VRU Beacon System (VBS). An ex-ante assessment method proposed by Kulmala (2010) targeted to assess the effects of ITS for cars was applied and further developed in this study to assess the safety impacts of ITS specifically designed for VRUs. The main results of the assessment showed that all investigated systems affect cyclist safety in a positive way by preventing fatalities and injuries. The estimates considering 2012 accident data and full penetration showed that the highest effects could be obtained by the implementation of PCDS+EBR and B2V, whereas VBS had the lowest effect. The estimated yearly reduction in cyclist fatalities in the EU-28 varied between 77 and 286 per system. A forecast for 2030, taking into accounts the estimated accident trends and penetration rates, showed the highest effects for PCDS+EBR and BSD.

Decarbonizing the transportation sector requires quick adoption of low-carbon energy carriers, with green hydrogen becoming a promising option for zero/low-emission mobility. Hydrogen refueling stations powered by renewable energy sources present a practical way to cut down lifecycle greenhouse gases and ease grid congestion. Nonetheless, most existing photovoltaic (PV)-based hydrogen production systems focus solely on electrical aspects, overlooking thermal energy flows and temperature effects that greatly impact PV and Electrolyzer performance. This study provides a thorough techno-economic evaluation of a hybrid PV/photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) green hydrogen system for refueling stations. The simulation framework models the combined electrical, thermal, and hydrogen subsystems under realistic conditions, incorporating rooftop PV/PVT collectors, battery storage, a water Electrolyzer, and hydrogen storage. Thermal energy from the PVT is used to pre-heat Electrolyzer feedwater, lowering electricity demand for hydrogen production and boosting PV efficiency via active cooling. Hydrogen production follows a demand-driven control strategy based on randomly generated stochastic daily refueling events. Three configurations are compared: (i) grid-only electrolysis, (ii) PV-only assisted electrolysis, and (iii) fully integrated PV/PVT-assisted electrolysis. The results show that the integrated PV/PVT setup significantly increases self-consumption, autarky rate, and overall efficiency, while lowering reliance on grid electricity and hydrogen production costs. Developed case studies highlight the economic feasibility and real-world viability of PV/PVT-assisted (decentralized) hydrogen refueling infrastructure.