An aerial view of the Sutong Yangtze River Bridge in Nantong. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

The 10th Digital Transportation Innovation and Development Conference opened on June 24 in Nantong, Jiangsu province, spotlighting the innovative applications of AI technology within the transportation industry.

This conference aims to bolster Jiangsu's aspirations of becoming a transportation powerhouse and a modern demonstration zone for the industry in the country.

Jiangsu has been accelerating the digitalization of transportation infrastructure, the intelligentization of services, and the smart governance of the industry. As part of these efforts, Nantong has developed a provincial-level digital transportation industrial park, showcasing the tangible benefits of AI in transforming transportation, according to the Jiangsu Provincial Comprehensive Transportation Society.

Addressing the conference, Wu Xinming, Party secretary of Nantong, underscored transportation as a strategic linchpin for the city's high-quality development, highlighting the construction of eight major bridges across the Yangtze River as a core part of its modernization drive.

He further pledged the city's commitment to intelligent transformation, vowing to fast-track the smart, digital, and networking evolution of its transportation infrastructure, foster the development of digital transportation industrial cluster, and emerge as a prominent hub for distinctive AI applications and innovative growth in the Yangtze River Delta region.

The conference also witnessed the debut of four major technological innovations, including the Expressway Intelligence road network system and an AI-powered digital twin drone inspection platform.

In parallel, four thematic sessions were held, delving into smart transportation ecosystem integration, cutting-edge applications of intelligent transport systems, the integrated development of AI and transportation, and the advancement of smart ports.