DIGEX Project

Digital technologies are transforming our societies. Sensors, IoT, big data, machine learning and automation are transforming social & economic activity.

Infrastructure is not an exception. Digitalisation is transforming how infrastructures are designed, built maintained and operated. Digitalisation can bring substantial cost reductions to the operation of infrastructures.

However, it is well-known at this stage that digitalisation often also brings disruption, new market players and new market structures. Traditional market players can be displaced or commoditised.

There is abundant literature on the digitalisation of infrastructures. Most of the literature merely describe specific digitalisation projects. It is more difficult to identify the overall impact of digitalisation in the management of a specific type of infrastructure. Even more difficult is to identify the transversal trends created by digitalisation in the management of any kind of infrastructure.

DIGEX- DIGITALIZING INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP OF EXPERTS

At the Florence School of Regulation we created DIGEX, a working group (think tank), DIGITALIZING INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP OF EXPERTS. The objective is to share knowledge on the digitalisation of infrastructure by putting together a group of experts on the different infrastructures (roads, rails, maritime transport, airports, telecoms, electricity, water, postal/delivery, etc.).

The kick-off meeting of the working group was held in Florence in June 2019. The coordinators of the group proposed a framework for analysis of digitalisation in infrastructures. At this meeting, the common structure for the work was discussed. It was agreed to have to two further meetings to present and discuss the work.

As a result of DIGEX research work, A MODERN GUIDE TO THE DIGITALIZATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE  was published in September 2021.

If you wish to learn more, please contact us at FSR.Transport@eui.eu