'Innovation into Everyday Life'... Global Mobility Scholars and Industry-Academia-Government Experts Gather in Seoul

[Financial News] An international forum will be held in Seoul to examine how advanced mobility technologies such as electric vehicles and autonomous driving will reshape future society, and to explore ways to make technological innovation part of everyday life.
The 2026 Global Mobility Conference, co-hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korea Transportation Safety Authority and the International Transport Forum under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, will take place at The Westin Josun Seoul for two days from Sept. 7 to 8.
Held under the theme "Innovation into Everyday Life: Innovation Leading the Age of Adaptation," the conference will bring together government officials, industry leaders and academic experts from Korea and abroad. Beyond highlighting the pace of technological progress, it will also address the policies, institutions and ethical challenges needed for new technologies to blend smoothly into society and daily life.
This year’s event will also feature humanities-based discussions that view mobility from the perspective of people, not just technology. Konkuk University’s Institute for Mobility Humanities, led by Director Shin In-seop, will again serve as a co-organizer this year and run a special session on "mobility humanities" on Sept. 8, the second day of the event.
The session, themed "Embodiment of Mobility Technology," will examine how electric vehicles and autonomous driving technologies reshape human senses, experiences and value judgments. It will also look at the ethical and aesthetic issues that arise during commercialization.
As speakers, Peter Adey, a professor at Monash University in Australia, will present on "An Analysis of EV Advertising in Australia," while Kim Na-hyun, a professor at Chungbuk National University (CBNU), will speak on "Autonomous Driving in Korean Literature." They will analyze how mobility technologies are perceived by the public through cultural texts. Lee Jin-hyung, a professor at Konkuk University, will chair the session, and Mimi Sheller of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), No Jo-haeng, an HK research professor at Konkuk University, and Donghyun Koo of Chungnam National University (CNU) will join the panel for a lively discussion.
In addition, the conference will also feature sessions on key industry issues, including challenges in autonomous driving testing and commercialization, the future of cities reshaped by advanced mobility, and the safety and insurance of autonomous vehicles.

[email protected] Kim Man-ki Reporter