The 2026 ITS America Conference & Expo will feature an expanded outdoor demonstration programme when it takes place in Detroit, Michigan, from 9-11 June, with the Michigan Department of Transportation (Michigan DOT) leading what organisers describe as a record number of demonstration participants across three live technology corridors.
Organised in partnership by RX Global and ITS America, the event will move beyond traditional show floor exhibitions to deliver hands-on experiences in real-world conditions, allowing attendees to engage with intelligent transportation technologies as they operate in active environments.
The expanded programme is sponsored by Integral Blue and cantered on the theme “Everyday Interoperability,” reflecting how connected transportation technologies can form a seamless ecosystem that benefits everyday road users.
Michigan DOT is spearheading the outdoor demonstration experiences, which span several miles of Detroit’s road network. Michele Mueller, manager of connected, automated, and electrification at the Michigan DOT, said, “Michigan Department of Transportation is proud to showcase the State of Michigan as a living laboratory for next generation transportation. By demonstrating emerging innovations in active corridors, we provide the ITS community with a rare opportunity to experience how integrated, data-driven mobility solutions are shaping a safer, smarter, and more efficient mobility ecosystem.”
The demonstration programme encompasses three distinct corridors. The I-94 Freeway Experience covers a 45-mile route between downtown Detroit and Ann Arbor, delivering work zone warnings, road hazard alerts, and emergency vehicle applications through advanced roadside sensors, dedicated communication units, and vehicle-to-network cellular connectivity.
The M-1 Intelligent Woodward Experience runs four miles along 31 V2X-equipped intersections between Huntington Place and the Electreon Inductive Charging Tour at the Henry Ford Health Center, deploying autonomous vehicle shuttles to demonstrate intersection-based mobility and safety services.
Completing the trio, the Everyday Downtown Experience extends vehicle-to-network applications throughout downtown Detroit, connecting autonomous vehicle shuttles, pedestrians, and micromobility users through a dedicated smartphone app functioning as a personal on-board unit for collision avoidance and vulnerable road user alerts.
A dedicated Emergency Response Tech and Demo Day is also scheduled for 11 June, running from 10:00am to 6:30pm in the Outdoor Demonstration Area. Brought to life by GFT Infrastructure and Michigan DOT, the event will spotlight infrastructure-based V2X communications for incident scene warnings, drone delivery integration for emergency operations, and an autonomous freight vehicle available for close-up technical exploration, with practitioners and technology specialists on hand throughout the day.
The Outdoor Demonstration Area, situated directly outside Huntington Place’s Hall B entrance, will host live product demonstrations from a range of industry companies. These include Brandmotion, showcasing its SmartHUD Digital Vehicle Alert System; Haas Alert, presenting networked V2X safety solutions; Integrity Security Services; Miovision Technologies, demonstrating connected vehicle capabilities; PrePass Safety Alliance; and Ver-mac. Each exhibitor will offer attendees direct access to hands-on product evaluation and time with technical experts.
Beyond the corridors and demonstration area, the programme includes curated small-group visits to Newlab, Detroit’s innovation centre focused on advancing the future of mobility, and tours of The Detroit Smart Parking Lab, where live demonstrations will cover electric vehicle charging, autonomous systems, robotics, and drone operations. An ADASTEC autonomous shuttle will transport attendees between event venues, the Smart Parking Lab, and Newlab. Tours are scheduled to run multiple times throughout the event and are limited to 15 participants per session.
Laura Chace, president and CEO of ITS America, said: “The demonstration experience programme is what makes this event so distinct, and this year, we can truly say we are doing something new. With a record number of demo participants and a reimagined experiential programme, attendees will engage with technologies not just on the show floor, but out in the real world where they are making impact in our transportation systems.”
Further details on demonstrations are expected to be added to the event website in the coming weeks. For more information, visit: www.itsamericaevents.com/expo/en-us/discover/experiences.html.
