On the teaching front, we have been delighted with the graduation of the first Master of Science in Technology in the international Sustainable Transport programme. Our international students are highly motivated to work in Finland, but they have encountered difficulties in finding summer jobs and positions for doing their master’s theses. We challenge the Finnish transport and logistics industry to change the working culture so that working in English is made possible in the early stages of a career.
Verne was awarded the Excellence in Teaching and Pedagogical Development 2025 Award at Tampere University’s Annual Celebration on 10 April 2025. The aims of the award is to highlight teaching-related activities that take into account multiculturalism and inclusivity, as well as global and ethical responsibility. In addition, the award criteria emphasised that the activities have promoted students’ international opportunities, student integration and cooperation skills. Verne would like to thank all his stakeholders and those involved in the teaching collaboration – this is a joint acknowledgement of successful cooperation and its power!
As a partner in the ENACT (Education Network on Automated and Connected Transport for Sustainable Cities) network, Verne successfully delivered the Designing Automated Transport Systems course for the second consecutive year. The course featured expert lectures and discussions on key themes such as the rationale for automation, future of automated transport systems, and solution concepts across various Operational Design Domains (ODDs). We look forward to the 2025/26 academic year as we reflect on past course experiences and continue to develop cross-institutional studies between universities.
In January 2025, a research article “Assessing Road Safety Impacts of Policy Actions in Finland 2004-2021” was published in the journal Public Works Management & Policy. The article by Markus Pöllänen and Tapio Katko examines long-term policy measures for road safety in Finland. The study highlights the need to further promote policy measures that support road users’ safe behaviour, safe speeds, vehicles and roads to achieve road safety objectives. We have also published, among other things, an article on the impact of winter conditions on the safety experience of passengers of automated buses.
The CHIFAM Travel research project, funded by the Research Council of Finland, has got off to a flying start. The project examines how a multi-level intervention targeting the traffic environment and the social environment affects the everyday mobility and driving habits of 10–12-year-old children and their families. The study will be carried out in four different schools in Oulu. The actual collection of data will begin next autumn. In addition, the researchers of the CHIFAM Travel project, Assistant Professor Tiina Rinne and Postdoctoral Researcher Veera Moll, were on a research visit to the University of Auckland in February, March and April. The duo got to know the physical activity conditions and culture of local urban children and built research cooperation with Professor Melody Smith’s research group. More information about the study visit can be found here: Kia Ora from Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand)!
As part of the EMBRACER project, Verne participated in Exchange of Experience events in Leipzig (Germany) and Cork (Ireland), sharing insights on Tampere’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan and sustainable MaaS solutions. We also strengthened stakeholder collaboration through an interview of Tatu Nieminen, the Co-founder and CEO of Remoted Oy, exploring the integration of autonomous vehicles into public transport.
At the recent Electric Vehicle Conference 2025 in Stuttgart, organized by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Sheba Nair presented her and Riku Viri’s research on how purchase subsidies and use cost differences impact Finland’s BEV adoption by simulating the EV fleet development using the the Finnish regional car fleet model (SALAMA). She also chaired a dynamic session on market uptake, featuring presentations on predicting EV adoption using machine learning and open-source data, and on how policy influences German OEMs’ strategies in the EV transition.
We have the pleasure of having several students working on their master’s theses employed at Verne. Nikoo Razavi completed and submitted her master’s thesis, which focuses on the human factor centred design of a remote operation centre. The study investigates key parameters that contribute to more effective and intuitive remote work environments, as well as the technological framework supporting remote operations. Submitted in April, the thesis represents a significant milestone in my research at the intersection of automated vehicles, emerging technologies, and human factors in smart transportation.
Vladislav Balashov’s master’s thesis is called “Scenarios for the electrification of passenger car fleet in Finland”. This thesis estimates possible future of electric vehicles (EVs) on the Finnish passenger car market. It is done by assessing how different EV-related factors affect consumer decisions and applying said assessment in mathematical modelling. He concluded that although the general trend favours EVs, all-round efforts should be made to foster positive externalities, such as consumers’ purchasing power or societal trust.
Niko Mikkonen has been working on his master’s thesis “Modern light rail systems’ impacts on citizens and user experiences” under the Smartrail#3 project. In the thesis different aspects of how modern light rail systems can be beneficial or harmful for citizens are evaluated, and the key components affecting modern light rail user experiences are determined. A questionnaire was conducted as part of the thesis to evaluate Tampere light rail citizen impacts and user experiences.
Lukas Bradl is currently working on his Master’s thesis “Tram Usage in Tampere: Usage Patterns, Impact Factors, and Their Development Over Time.” The thesis is part of the SmartRail#3 project and utilizes multi-year survey data to analyze impact factors, usage patterns, and user groups, with the aim of better understanding and incentivizing tram usage within Tampere. Particular attention is given to identifying user and usage trends that have emerged over time.
Sepideh Salehi Barzegar has been working on her master’s thesis “Battery swapping technology in electrification of trucks”. In this research the current status, technology readiness, costs, and grid impacts of battery swapping compared to other available technologies are explored. The methodology combines case studies, literature review, and expert insights. The study also highlights both opportunities and challenges of integrating battery swapping into future transport systems.
We thank our stakeholders for their cooperation!