The World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism marked the mid-point in a week of key discussions at the FIA Annual General Assembly in Saint Petersburg. The meeting opened with an address by FIA President Jean Todt, who focused on the growing synergies between the two pillars of the FIA – Mobility and Sport.

“I believe this is happening, and that it is very important that we continue to develop further,” he said. “FIA Smart Cities is a programme that encapsulates this work to create synergies. It is something we want to develop, and I consider that it is the responsibility of our organisation to make cities smarter.”

The hugely successful FIA Smart Cities initiative, which concluded its second season of activities this year, was also high on the World Council agenda. Building on the achievements of the 2018 programme, it was confirmed during the meeting that this initiative is to continue in 2019, in cooperation with FIA Members. Events are planned for Mexico City (February), Hong Kong (March), and Rome (April), utilising the ever-growing platform of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.

For the coming programme, FIA Smart Cities has partnered with MassChallenge, a global start-up incubator, to deliver on the FIA Smart Cities Global Start-Up Contest. The contest works to identify and support companies operating within the smart city ecosystem, and will help drive the development of safe and sustainable technologies.

The Council was also informed that for 2019, both the FIA Mobility Conference and FIA Sport Conference will be held together in South Africa at the kind invitation of the Automobile Association of South Africa (AASA) and with the support of Motorsport South Africa (MSA). This event, taking place in conjunction with the FIA Region I Spring Meeting and FIA Sport Regional Congress from 29 April to 3 May, is the first of its kind in the history of the FIA.

President Todt added: “Next year we will host the Mobility and Sport Conference weeks together at the same location in South Africa, again in an effort to create new synergies between all of our Member Organisations.”

FIA Deputy President for Automobile Mobility and Tourism Thierry Willemarck, who chaired the meeting, also pointed to the need to encourage original thinking in order to strengthen Member Clubs, in particular referencing recently established FIA Innovation Fund.

“A strategic priority moving forward is to see what we can do to encourage the development of stronger Clubs,” he said. “We must be bold in our innovation initiative. We must filter ideas from individual Clubs to develop a broader legacy for the wider community. Clubs need to take action on the conclusion of the Vision 2030 report. A key challenge we must address is how to best ensure that Clubs have access to knowledge that is relevant.”

Elsewhere, one of the key outcomes of the meeting was the Council’s approval of the creation of an annual road safety awards programme that will serve to acknowledge the important work carried out by individuals and organisations that have made a proven positive impact on the issue, reducing the loss of lives, as well as limiting global road traffic injuries. It is hoped that the FIA Road Safety Awards will also serve to further bring together the FIA Community in its shared goal to improve safety on the world’s roads, and incentivise more action to be taken to save lives. A maximum of five awards, as well as a special mention, may be awarded annually as part of the programme.

The Council also heard from the President of the FIA Manufacturer’s Commission, François Fillon, who presented the Commission’s annual report with increased collaboration planned between the Commission and representatives from the FIA Mobility Clubs.