The development of more effective traffic management through traffic information systems has a long history that predates the modern concepts of "smart mobility." Since the 1960s—and particularly with the liberalization of transport markets in the European Union since the 1990s—the dramatic rise in both freight and passenger mobility has brought the challenge of mitigating costly traffic congestion and other disruptions to the forefront of transport policy and planning. Technical innovations in traffic information systems have been viewed as a key strategy for reducing time delays, costs, and pollutant emissions while ensuring the continued flow of traffic. This lecture presents an ongoing research project on the evolution of traffic information systems since the 1960s and shares preliminary findings.