State of the Union on Digital Infrastructure Webinar presented by ITS America and AWS

Unlocking the Future: Insights from the State of the Union on Digital Infrastructure Webinar

Introduction

In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital infrastructure, keeping pace with advancements is crucial for both public and private sectors. In a recent webinar presented by ITS America, AWS, and Rekor, a panel of industry experts gathered to unveil insights from a comprehensive listening campaign conducted in the first half of 2023. The campaign aimed to shed light on the true state of digital infrastructure and explore crucial topics such as starting small, prioritizing cybersecurity, fostering cross-industry collaboration, and shifting towards insights-as-a-service for data. The experts represented both the private and public sectors, offering diverse perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in the realm of digital infrastructure.

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Panel of Experts

The webinar featured an illustrious panel of industry experts, each with a unique perspective on digital infrastructure:

• Paul-Matthew Zamsky: Vice President of Strategic Growth and Global Partnerships at Rekor Systems. He has extensive experience in transportation technology and has co-founded startups in diverse industries. Paul-Matthew emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to digital infrastructure.
• Laurie Matkowski: Director of Connected and Automated Vehicle Services at Gannett Fleming. With over 25 years of experience in traffic engineering, Laurie highlights the critical role of cybersecurity as the foundation of digital infrastructure.
• John Corbin: Transportation Automation Program Manager for the Federal Highway Administration Office of Operations. John discusses the need for collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies to advance digital infrastructure.
• Darran Anderson: Director of Strategy and Innovation for TxDOT. Darran shares insights on balancing long-term visionary concepts with immediate challenges and the importance of strategic patience.

Starting Small and Tactical Focus

One of the key takeaways from the webinar was the importance of starting small and maintaining a tactical focus. While long-term technology investments are essential, many transportation authorities, especially in the US, are still years away from formal ITS investment plans. Darran Anderson stressed the significance of putting people first, listening to their day-to-day needs, and aligning technology solutions with those needs. He also emphasized the need for both strategic patience and tactical urgency, allowing for quick wins while working on long-range strategies.

Prioritizing Cybersecurity

The discussion on cybersecurity highlighted its mission-critical nature in today's digital infrastructure landscape. Laurie Matkowski pointed out that cybersecurity should be the foundation of any digital infrastructure plan. She shared an example of working with a city on the East Coast to develop an ITS master plan, where she emphasized the importance of cybersecurity as the first step in the process. Darran Anderson added that cybersecurity is essential for resiliency and urged agencies to upgrade to the latest standards and secure their systems from the outset.

Fostering Collaboration and Federal Support

Collaboration emerged as a recurring theme during the webinar. Paul-Matthew Zamsky stressed the need for shared capabilities and collaboration between government agencies, first responder networks, educational institutions, and private industry. He highlighted the potential for a common digital infrastructure that serves multiple entities. John Corbin emphasized the facilitative leadership role of the federal government in coordinating collaboration between various stakeholders. He also highlighted the importance of research, development, testing, and prototyping in advancing digital infrastructure.

AI and the Future of Digital Infrastructure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) played a significant role in the discussion, reflecting its growing prominence in digital infrastructure. The panelists acknowledged the rapid pace of technological change and the need for continuous collaboration. Paul-Matthew Zamsky discussed the importance of AI in analyzing and processing data, and Darran Anderson shared Texas Department of Transportation's AI strategy. AI is seen as a tool to accelerate progress and enhance the effectiveness of digital infrastructure solutions.

Overcoming Risk Aversion

Public agencies are often risk-averse, which can hinder the adoption of innovative digital infrastructure solutions. The panelists provided several insights into overcoming this challenge:

• Shared Capabilities: Collaboration and sharing resources among different entities, including public agencies, private industry, and educational institutions, can help spread the risk and enable more robust digital infrastructure solutions.
• Fail Fast: Taking a more agile approach by starting small and being willing to fail fast can help agencies test solutions without committing to long-term plans, reducing the fear of failure.
• Continuous Collaboration: Emphasizing the need for ongoing collaboration between government agencies and the private sector to adapt to the rapidly changing technology landscape.

Conclusion

The ITS webinar shed light on critical aspects of digital infrastructure in 2023, including the importance of starting small, prioritizing cybersecurity, fostering collaboration, leveraging federal support, and embracing AI. As digital infrastructure continues to evolve, these insights will guide both public and private sectors in shaping a more connected and resilient future.

The message from the panelists is clear: Collaboration, agility, and a focus on cybersecurity are essential for successfully navigating the challenges and opportunities of digital infrastructure. As we move forward, it's crucial for all stakeholders to work together to build a robust and sustainable digital infrastructure ecosystem that serves the needs of communities and industries alike.

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