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Last week, Anastasia and Łukasz participated in the Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS) 2026 conference, presenting the collaborative research paper “Autonomous Vehicles Need Social Awareness to Find Optimal Policies in MARL Routing Games”. The study demonstrates that autonomous vehicles can improve both overall system performance and individual outcomes when, in addition to optimizing their own travel times, they take into account the impact of their decisions on other road users. The work was very well received by the research community, generating engaging discussions and valuable feedback from conference participants. Anastasia also had the opportunity to present this research at the Agents for Societal Impact (ASI) workshop and to participate in the AAMAS Doctoral Consortium. Many thanks to the organizers, reviewers, and everyone who contributed to inspiring conversations and exchanges of ideas throughout the conference!

We are proud to announce that Michał Bujak and Farnoud Ghasemi have successfully defended their PhD dissertations! 👏🎓 Their hard work, determination, and scientific passion have led to this important achievement, and we could not be happier to celebrate this milestone together. This is not only a huge success for both of them personally, but also an important moment for our entire lab. Congratulations, Dr. Bujak and Dr. Ghasemi! 🎉 We are excited to see what comes next in your scientific journeys! See abstracts here

This year’s CEETRA (Central European Excellence in Transportation Research Association) 2026 Annual Meeting took place in Budapest and once again demonstrated how dynamically the Central European transportation and mobility research community is growing 🌍🚆 A rich programme, interdisciplinary presentations, and inspiring discussions created an excellent space for exchanging ideas and building collaboration. Many thanks to the organisers, speakers, and Corvinus University of Budapest for supporting the event. The meeting concluded with the announcement of the next Annual Meeting venue — and it is especially exciting news for us. In 2027, CEETRA will return to its roots and we will meet in Krakow, where Rafal will host the event alongside the hEART Conference at Jagiellonian University 💣

Last Tuesday, Rafał took part in the ERC Information Day in Warsaw, organized by the Excellence in Science Department of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The event brought together researchers planning to apply for ERC grants. During the meeting, Rafał shared his firsthand experiences from the ERC application process, offering practical guidance, valuable tips, and encouragement to those embarking on their own grant journeys.

Last week, Kraków brought together all SUM Project Participants for the General Assembly (March 18–19, 2026), marking an important moment as we approach the project’s final phase. Day 1st focused on reflecting on our shared achievements, from key results and business plans to policy recommendations shaping the future of sustainable urban mobility. We also looked ahead, discussing dissemination efforts and how to ensure long-term value beyond the project’s lifetime. On Day 2nd, discussions turned into real-life experience as Participants visited the Kraków Living Lab at the Czerwone Maki multimodal hub. The visit provided a hands-on look at implemented solutions and was followed by updates from all Living Labs, highlighting tangible results and lessons learned across cities.

🚗💼 Our latest article in PLoS One dives into the ride-sourcing world. Platforms like Uber and Lyft hire drivers as independent contractors, offering flexible schedules but often resulting in low pay and poor working conditions. ⚖️ Minimum wage rules can boost drivers’ incomes, but they may also raise fares for passengers and threaten platform survival. Implementing a “lockout” strategy increases platform profits and some drivers’ earnings, yet many lose their jobs and service quality for passengers drops—highlighting the complex trade-offs in regulating ride-sourcing markets. Now available in open access