Press Release of Podcar City Conference in collaboration with City of San José

13 Oct 2023

NEWS RELEASE: Podcar City Conference: automated
transit moves from concept to reality
Post Date:10/12/2023 1:00 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT
Christer Lindström, Manager, Podcar City Conference
831-201-8211; Christer@4Dialog.com

Moving from Concept to Reality
On December 1, the International Institute of Sustainable Transportation (INIST) will hold its 15th
annual transit innovation conference at San José’s City Hall. The Podcar City Conference will
highlight initiatives being pursued in cities across the nation to build automated, on-demand,
electric-powered transit systems, known as “podcars” in Europe—moving the concept from dream
to reality.

Nearly 50 years after the first automated transit system was built in Morgantown, West Virginia,
nearly a dozen public agencies in the U.S are taking steps to build next generation systems. They do
so to improve roadway safety, expand mobility choices, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The
City of San José is one of those agencies.
Among other things, the conference will highlight San Jose’s efforts to build an automated transit
system that would initially connect Diridon Station to the San José Mineta International Airport.
The system will employ technology supplied by Glydways, a South San Francisco company whose
small, electric, autonomous vehicles operate on a separate guideway. Glydways is a sponsor of the
conference and will be showcasing one of its vehicles at the event. The conference will also launch
the Automated Transit Communities, a coalition of public agencies and other stakeholders around
the world seeking to accelerate the deployment of automated transit systems. The first meeting of
the Automated Transit Communities will be led by interim chair Gerald McDowell, Executive
Director of the Atlanta Airport Community Districts.

INIST board member Christer Lindstrom says: “Today’s focus on sustainable mobility is
electrifying cars. However, that is not enough. This conference will illuminate the advances being
made in sustainable, automated transit systems and create alliance of stakeholders and innovators
that can accelerate that momentum.”

Conference speakers include:
San Jose Mayor Mahan
Gerald McDowell, Executive Director, Atlanta Airport Community Improvement Districts
Karen Philbrick, Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University
Brian Stanke, Project Manager, San Jose Diridon-Airport Connector
Partners and Sponsors include:
City of San José
Atlanta Airport Community Improvement Districts
Advanced Transit Association (ATRA)
September 28, 2023 Press release
International Institute of Sustainable Transportation (INIST)
Lea + Elliott
4Dialog
Glydways
Oceaneering
More information about the conference can be found here: https://podcarcity.org/podcar-city-2023-
san-jose-usa/
More information about the Automated Transit Communities can be found here:
www.automatedtransitcommunities.net
About Podcar City and INIST:
We believe we can make a real change in how we get around everyday– to create a mobility system
that is safer, more convenient, accessible to all and environmentally sustainable. Podcar City is a
series of gatherings looking at short- and long-term strategies that can help us achieve those goals.
Join us in that conversation.