THESSALONIKI – Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the Hellenic Institute of Transport (HIT) at the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) on March 24, where he was briefed on the operation of systems which – drawing on data from Google and with the use of Artificial Intelligence and traffic light regulation – are capable of reducing traffic congestion by 10%-15%.
Each day, 15,000 individuals (600,000 annually) receive this information free of charge via a mobile application, noted Research Director Evangelos Mitsakis, thereby enabling citizens to select the fastest and safest routes.
HIT officials stated that they are ready to implement these systems for traffic management in Athens as well – this being the government’s next objective, the prime minister underlined – adding that “research of a highly innovative nature in Greece yields tangible results for improving the daily lives of citizens in Thessaloniki.”
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visits the Institute of Sustainable Mobility and Transport Networks (I.MET.) on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (RAFAEL GEORGIADIS/EUROKINISSI)
“What we are witnessing here is a particularly noteworthy partnership between the public and private sectors. By leveraging open data from Google, as well as other data sources, we are now able to compile an exceptionally accurate real-time picture of traffic conditions, to make forecasts regarding future traffic flows, and to intervene in the operation of traffic signals so as to facilitate smoother circulation. At the same time, we can identify locations that are prone to accidents, thereby reducing road traffic incidents and enhancing road safety,” Mitsotakis stated.
He added: “The work you have carried out is of great importance. Our immediate next objective is to bring this system to Athens. We will also secure the necessary funding, as we wish for the innovative research conducted in our country to have practical applications… What is being developed here serves as a model not only for our country. We are at the global forefront in terms of how data can be utilized and how Artificial Intelligence can ultimately translate into a better reality for citizens.”
The prime minister also expressed the government’s support for the development of additional applications at HIT, which is one of the five institutes at CERTH and has been in operation for 25 years, employing a staff of 160.
(Material from AMNA was used in this report)