BME Automated Drive at TRA 2026 in Budapest – focusing on the digital twin and the M1–M7 smart road

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The Department of Automotive Technologies and BME Automated Drive Lab is participating as both exhibitor and speaker at the TRA 2026 conference in Budapest, with a strong focus on the M1–M7 smart motorway section and its real-time digital twin system. During the multi-day international event, our researchers present the latest results in connected and automated mobility through interactive VR demonstrations and several technical presentations.

Budapest hosts the Transport Research Arena (TRA 2026), one of Europe’s most important conferences in transport research and innovation, bringing together around 3,000 participants including researchers, industry experts, and decision-makers to discuss the future of mobility.

The BME Department of Automotive Technologies participates as a guest of the Hungarian Public Road Nonprofit Ltd. (Magyar Közút) at its exhibition stand, where the focus is on presenting the M1–M7 smart motorway section and the associated real-time digital twin system. An interactive VR-based demonstration is also available at the stand, providing visitors with an immersive experience of the developed system and its capabilities in representing real-world traffic environments.

Beyond the exhibition presence, the department is strongly represented in the technical programme, with researchers contributing to several thematic sessions throughout the conference. The presentations focus on testing connected and automated transport systems, sensor fusion and V2X-based risk assessment, next-generation traffic management concepts, and the role of real-time digital twins in enhancing transport safety and efficiency.

Together, these contributions highlight how real-time digital twin technology based on live traffic data is reshaping the development and validation of future transport systems, both in highway environments and in complex mixed-traffic scenarios.

The scientific contributions of the department are coordinated by Dr. Zsolt Szalay, Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME, who also delivers several keynote and invited talks at the conference. Reflecting on the event, he noted:

“After our demonstrations and presentations, we received extensive feedback that digital twin technology is setting new foundations for transport systems. The real-time system we have developed not only enhances modelling accuracy, but also redefines how safety and efficiency in transportation can be understood.”

The participation of BME at TRA 2026 demonstrates the department’s growing international impact in the development of next-generation mobility systems, particularly in the fields of digital twins and connected infrastructure-based solutions.