A Decade of Provoking Progress

At the 10-year anniversary of the Integrated Transport Research Lab (ITRL), the centre Director Jonas Mårtensson posed a question to the partners that caught everyone’s attention: "Do you want to be challenged? And how?" This question encapsulates not only the ethos of ITRL but also the driving force behind its success in transforming sustainable transport systems.

From its inception, ITRL has positioned itself as more than a research centre – it's a container for challenges, designed to push the boundaries of collaboration, innovation, and systems thinking.

A Centre Built on Challenges

“From the beginning, we knew we wanted to challenge the status quo,” said Peter Georén, ITRL former director. “But getting others to share that vision was no easy task. The idea of addressing transport at a system level – beyond isolated technical problems – was both exciting and daunting.”

Scania and Ericsson, the first industry partners to join, exemplified this willingness to be challenged. Erik Dahlberg, Director of Research and Innovation at Scania, reflected, “We realized linear product optimization was no longer enough. The system perspective was the challenge we needed.”

Håkan Olofsson from Ericsson shared a similar sentiment: “At the time, we were asking ourselves, ‘What’s the real impact of 5G in transportation?’ The centre forced us to think differently and embrace the unknown. Now, new vehicles are connected, and the evolved question is: what 5G connectivity use cases are truly impactful?”

A Platform for Productive Discomfort

ITRL’s unique strength lies in creating a space for productive discomfort – the uncomfortable but necessary collaboration across disciplines, sectors, and mindsets. As Anna Pernestål, former ITRL director, explained, “It’s not easy to integrate different perspectives, but the willingness to try is where the magic happens. That’s the culture we’ve built here.”

Hamid Zarghamour of Trafikverket echoed this sentiment: “Understanding each other’s viewpoints is inherently difficult – that’s why platforms like ITRL exist. We’ve invested effort into researching system dynamics precisely because it helps us address complex, multi-perspective problems.”

This discomfort extends to internal debates within organizations. Olofsson shared a vivid example of proposing an urban microforest to the City of Stockholm: “Some loved the idea; others wanted car space and bicycle lanes instead. Both are valid goals but trading between them requires a shared vision. That’s the type of challenge ITRL helps facilitate.”

ITRL’s legacy lies in its ability to make discomfort productive. ITRL thrives in the messy, uncomfortable space of exploring the unknown. ITRL isn’t just a lab for physical prototypes; it’s a lab for thought. It’s where you come to ask hard questions and leave with harder ones.

The Value of Being Challenged

Industry partners at ITRL have come to appreciate the unique role of the centre in holding up a mirror to their assumptions. “We need you to challenge us,” Dahlberg admitted. “It’s the only way to expand our thinking beyond what’s comfortable.”

Yet challenges at ITRL aren’t one-sided. Academic researchers, too, have faced demands to demonstrate their relevance in the real world. Gabriella Nilsson from Region Stockholm described how testing inductive bus charging provided valuable insights, including lessons on what doesn’t work. “ITRL helps us take steps forward, even when things don't work out as hoped.” she noted.

This mutual challenging often extends to regulatory frameworks, which can hinder as much as they protect. “We have solutions that don’t fit the problems, and problems that regulations won’t let us solve,” said Hamid Zarghamour from Trafikverket. “The challenge is finding a way to innovate within these constraints – or challenging the constraints themselves.”

Debating the Future: Software, Energy, and Systems Thinking

One thread in the discussion revolved around the growing role of software innovation as a new area of excellence for the Swedish transportation industry. Panelists noted how the sector is shifting from decentralized intelligence within vehicles to more centralized, cloud-based systems. This shift requires rethinking the distribution of intelligence across systems.

A pivotal moment of the event came when Jan Wikander, former dean of the ITM School at KTH, shared a challenging perspective that reflected the complexity of sustainable transport’s future. He expressed skepticism about electrification, noting its reliance on nuclear power, which carries inherent risks, and the geopolitical concerns tied to the demand for batteries, including mining in Africa and resource extraction in northern Sweden. While biofuels offer a viable alternative, he argued, the transport industry seems to be discarding combustion engines prematurely. He concluded by asking how ITRL could expand its scope to address the broader energy challenges linked to transport systems.

This argument left panelists reflecting on both the complexity of the issue and the urgency of finding solutions. Erik Dahlberg from Scania acknowledged the tension but emphasized Scania’s commitment to electrification. “We must address these concerns head-on, but we also can’t lose momentum in reducing transport emissions,” he said.

Håkan Olofsson highlighted that tackling climate change and achieving electrification require a collaborative approach. “We need to relate to the planetary boundaries, and for transportation, climate change and the transition to electrification must be resolved alongside energy production and distribution sectors,” he noted.

ITRL’s Director Jonas Mårtensson closed the discussion with a call to action: “If we want to tackle these grand challenges, we need to bring energy stakeholders into the conversation and build long-lasting partnerships. Electrification, biofuels, and broader energy systems are all pieces of the same puzzle. The question is, who’s ready to work with us to put those pieces together?”

The Next Decade: A Call to Action

As ITRL enters its second decade, the need for collaboration has never been greater. The electrification debate raised by the audience exemplifies the pressing challenges that require diverse expertise, systemic thinking, and bold ambition.

To meet these challenges, ITRL is inviting new partners – from energy stakeholders to policymakers, from software innovators to transport operators – not only to join ongoing projects but to actively shape the centre’s strategic direction.

Collaboration has been the foundation of our success, but the grand challenges ahead demand a broader coalition of voices. We need partners who are ready to engage in long-term dialogue, challenge conventional thinking, and help us define the research strategy and ambition for the next decade.

So, the question stands: Do you want to be challenged? And how will you challenge us? For those ready to embrace this opportunity, the door is open.