The full scale prototype of the world's first air taxi vertiport VoloPort is on display at the Marina Bay Floating Platform in Singapore, Oct. 21, 2019. The world's first full-scale air taxi vertiport was unveiled here Monday on the sidelines of the congress. The VoloPort is the joint effort by Volocopter, the German urban air mobility and air taxi pioneer, and Skyports, the British vertiport developer, owner and operator. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey)

SINGAPORE, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The 26th Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) World Congress was officially opened here Monday.

Themed Smart Mobility, Empowering Cities, the world’s leading transport technology congress features close to 200 sessions and interactive panel discussions, 30 specially curated technical demonstrations and tours, as well as 11 associated events. To inspire and nurture the next generation of ITS leaders, 60 tertiary students and youths from Singapore and other countries across the Asia-Pacific will also take part in the Youth Leadership Development Programme.

From Oct. 24 to Oct. 25, members of public can enjoy free admission to the ITS World Congress Exhibition, and take a look at the latest technologies, research and innovations by over 300 exhibitors.

The Congress is anchored by three Plenary Sessions dedicated to key global ITS issues. The sessions will focus on how connected and automated mobility is transforming the movement of people and goods, vehicle ownership and mobility services; challenges and ideas for realizing innovative/integrated mobility services; and how intelligent mobility solutions can be delivered for a sustainable smart city. Topics to be explored include autonomous vehicles, Mobility-as-a-Service, ride-sharing, mobility-on-demand, and cybersecurity.

The world’s first full-scale air taxi vertiport was unveiled here Monday on the sidelines of the congress. The VoloPort is the joint effort by Volocopter, the German urban air mobility and air taxi pioneer, and Skyports, the British vertiport developer, owner and operator.

The two companies announced that they will continue their partnership with the aim of introducing commercial air taxi services in Singapore and beyond.

They have built up here the VoloPort prototype on the Float @ Marina Bay, the only physical infrastructure required for so called eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) passenger air taxis to take off and land.

The opening ceremony was officiated by Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan.

No country can successfully develop ITS without international cooperation, in areas such as the harmonization of standards, Khaw said in his speech.

“We can also shorten the learning curve through frequent exchange of best practices. It is therefore important that we continue to engage one another, at platforms like this World Congress,” he added.

Ngien Hoon Ping, chairman of the ITS World Congress Singapore 2019 Steering Committee, said, “Smart urban mobility is a key element of Singapore’s Smart Nation drive, and I look forward not only to the opportunities for collaboration and co-creation which the Congress will offer, but also the exchange of ideas and insights that will help catalyse the future of smart urban mobility on a global scale and improve people’s lives.”

The Congress this year is co-organized by Singapore's Land Transport Authority and Intelligent Transportation Society Singapore. It is expected to attract more than 10,000 delegates from over 80 countries during the five-day event which will run until October 25 at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre.