Sara addressed one of the core challenges facing cities today: while emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles (AVs) promise more efficient, clean, and connected urban systems, they also raise critical concerns about safety, trust, and societal readiness. GINEVRA’s contribution to the conference centred on the belief that innovation cannot succeed without citizen participation and public legitimacy.
GINEVRA’s Key Messages:
– Technology-first approaches are not enough: Innovation must be co-designed with people—not imposed upon them.
– Citizens must be involved early: Through tools like real-life AV pilots, participatory workshops, and multi-stakeholder feedback loops.
– Governance frameworks must be co-created: To ensure that deployment strategies reflect the values and needs of diverse communities.
Looking ahead, the presentation introduced two potential pathways to amplify GINEVRA’s impact through the forthcoming Transnational Action Plan for Responsible, Multi-level Governance:
1. Territorial Roll-out – Supporting additional municipalities to adapt the plan in alignment with their local contexts.
2. Sectoral Adaptation – Applying GINEVRA’s participatory governance principles to other innovation areas, such as smart energy grids, digital public services, climate technologies, and urban logistics.
The session concluded with a strong call to action: real innovation begins with people, and lasting impact is only possible through collaborative, multi-level governance.