Transport innovation is ultimately driven by the needs of the users. Whether it is passenger or freight the needs
are defined in terms of faster, cheaper or more comfortable, reliable and secure transport from origin to
destination (or in more popular terms ‘from door-to-door’). These needs are independent of the modes used. In
practice however, the resulting innovation is determined by an optimisation between producer capability
(including technology), affordability, performance and risk. There is no case for innovation at any cost or without
reference to societal constraints such as those set by policy. In their individual research and innovation agenda’s,
strategies and roadmaps each of the five European Technology Platforms underpin this principle.
Bearing in mind that most if not all journeys by the transport user involve multiple modes, the Platforms also share
the vision that in addition to their respective mode-specific orientation, there is added value to be gained by
broadening them into a cross-modal perspective (see also figure). This shared vision is reinforced by the release of
the White Paper on Transport, the Horizon 2020 framework programme priorities and the Strategic Transport
Technology Plan. This cross-modal perspective considers the elements of transport infrastructure and the
transport services and operations.