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23 5 Conclusion During the roadmap development process, it was clear that the significant impact of new technologies on the airport industry, in O&M but also more broadly across all business areas of the airport is a reoccurring theme. An illustrative and oft-cited example of the impact of new technologies on the industry (and airports are not unique in this regard), is the rise and integration of transportation network companies (TNCs). TNCs have revolutionized urban and suburban transportation options, including how passengers and employees get to and from our nationâs airports. This technology has led to many significant changes at airports, including curb-side design and configuration, service provider relationships (contracts with TNCs versus taxis and limousine services for example), and revenue models (i.e. declining parking garage income). A decade ago, Uber did not exist, and now the service is available in every U.S. major city, serving 146 U.S. airports (Uber, 2018). As a result, airports have had to quickly transform their operations, facilities and infrastructure to accommodate this radically changing sector of the transportation sector within a few short years. Autonomous vehicles are another advanced and potentially enabling/disruptive technology with implications for airports, both on the landside and airside. The rise of connected devices, systems and individual components into integrated building management systems is continuing to expand as well. Airports will need guidance on how to effectively select and integrate new technologies, which is important not only during the design and construction phase of airport development and procurement but also results in lasting impacts on the operation and maintenance of these facilities for decades. New and advanced technologies will impact airports across all lines of business, and adapting to them will require a collaborative approach. The industry is beginning to take a more holistic view of adapting to these types of challenges, and therefore the industryâs research program needs to do so as well. As exciting as groundbreaking new technologies are however, there are a number of other topics that speak to airport industry goals and objectives that require research attention over the next five years. As the research roadmap demonstrates, there are opportunities for advancement of our collective knowledge in practice as it relates to O&M for more efficient operation of facilities, better customer service and passenger experience, enhanced safety, and more sustainable and resilient infrastructure at our nationâs airports. The roadmap is not intended to cover every possible topic of interest, nor can it accurately predict the changes that will occur in the airport industry. However, it does represent the industryâs understanding of the challenges that exist today, and those that are expected to continue and emerge in the near future. While the specific research ideas may change, the roadmap serves as a foundation to support the overarching goals of our industry, which are to ensure a safe and secure air transportation system, improve customer service, and enable the sectorâs continued growth into the future.
