Intelligent Transport Systems for Sustainable Mobility UN 2009

UN

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United NationsEconomic Commission for Europe

Ministero delle Infrastrutturee dei Trasporti


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Intelligent Transport


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NOTE

The designations employed and the presentation of materialin this publication do not imply the expression of any opinionwhatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nationsconcerning the legal status of any country, territory, city orarea, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of itsfrontiers and boundaries. ISBN 9788897212034

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Acknowledgements

The publication “Intelligent Transport Systems for sustainable mobility”,funded by SINA - Società Iniziative Nazionali Autostradali - in Italy, was produced,initiated and prepared by the UNECE Transport Division in cooperation withthe secretaries of the Division. The Transport Division wishes to express its sin-cere thanks to all those who contributed to this publication, either with articlesor administrative services.

A special thanks goes to the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Buildingand Urban Development and the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportfor their consistent support of the UNECE related ITS activities.

Additional thanks is expressed to those who contributed to the public consul-tation: Ministry of Transport, Azerbaijan; Federal Public Service Mobility andTransport, Belgium; Republic of Bulgaria, Ministry of Transport, InformationTechnology and Communications; Transport Canada; European Commission,DG MOVE; Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing,France; Israel National Road Safety Authority; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan; Ministry of Infrastructure and theEnvironment, Netherlands; Norwegian Public Roads Administration; Departmentof Transport Policy and International Affairs, Ministry of Infrastructure Republicof Poland; Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, Sweden; FederalDepartment of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication, Switzerland;Mr. Helmut Meelich, TEM/TER Project Manager; Department of Transport,United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Mr. Hermann Meyer, forERTICO - ITS Europe; Mr. Nico Anten for Connekt/ITS Netherlands; Mr. VladimirKryuchkov, CEO for ITS Russia; Dr. Paul Vorster, for ITS South Africa; Mr. RichardHarris for ITS UK; Dr. Costas Panou, Asst. Professor of Transportation Dept.Shipping, Trade & Transport Aegean University - Business School, Greece; Dr.Arpad Torok (PhD) for the KTI - Institute for Transport Sciences; Mr. Jorge Acha-Daza for the Mexican Transport Institute; ASECAP - European Association ofOperators of Toll Road Infrastructure, Brussels; Ms. Caroline Visser for theInternational Road Federation (IRF); Mr. Amin Aschdjai-Benissi for KapschTraffic Com, Vienna; Mr. Yves van der Straaten for the International Organizationof Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, OICA.

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ForewordUnited Nations Secretary-General

Ban Ki-moon ........................................................................................................................8

Minister of Infrastructures and Transports - Italy ..................................................10

Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Development - Germany

Dr. Peter Ramsauer ............................................................................................................12

SINA SpA (ASTM-SIAS group) Chairman of the board

Agostino Spoglianti ............................................................................................................14

IntroductionUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) ..............................16

Transport in UNECE ..........................................................................................................17

OverviewUNECE and Intelligent Transport Systems..................................................................18

Part 1

Background documentAims..........................................................................................................................................23

1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................24

2 Long-term and wide-ranging transport objectives................................................25

3 Technical overview of Intelligent Transport Systems ........................................303.1 Basic definitions and preliminary considerations..................................................303.2 Road transport: the growing interest in safety, security,

quality and efficiency ................................................................................................323.3 The concepts of safety and security in transport:

the role of the Intelligent Transport Systems ........................................................333.4 A short outlook on ITS ..............................................................................................35

3.4.1 Roadside contribution to the safety of transport: the role of ITS ............353.4.2 Passive, active and preventive safety for vehicles: the role

of on-board Information and Communication Technologies ....................423.4.3 Cooperative technologies ..............................................................................463.4.4 ICT infrastructure and communication networks ......................................503.4.5 ITS in urban transport ....................................................................................51

3.5 Applications for the transport of dangerous goods (safety and security)................52

ContentsContents

ITS for sustainable mobility6

4 Outlook of UNECE action in the field of ITS and current provisions ............544.1 The UNECE Transport Division’s approach to ITS................................................544.2 Working Parties and groups of UNECE: generalities, activities and aims ..............564.3 Activities performed by UNECE bodies in the field of ITS ..................................57

4.3.1 Informal Group on ITS under WP.29 for in-vehicle ITS ............................584.3.2 Informal working group on telematics -

Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (WP.15)....................594.3.3 UNECE Road Safety Forum (WP.1) - Informal working group

for harmonization of VMS pictograms ........................................................604.3.4 Expert group for safety in road tunnels ......................................................624.3.5 E-CMR ..............................................................................................................624.3.6 Rail transport ..................................................................................................634.3.7 Inland Water Transport ..................................................................................64

5 Summary of benefits and challenges in the promotion of ITS..........................655.1 Benefits........................................................................................................................655.2 Challenges ..................................................................................................................67

Annexes

• Some examples and Best practices (enclosed CD ROM) ............................................70• List of acronyms ................................................................................................................71• References ..........................................................................................................................73• Pictures................................................................................................................................76

Part 2

Strategic note1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................80

2 The UNECE Transport Division’s vision, commitment

and Road Map for ITS ....................................................................................................81

3 Transport growth reaches its limits ..........................................................................82

4 …but ITS can expand the transport sector’s limits ............................................83

5 What is ITS?......................................................................................................................84

6 ITS can contribute to the solution of global issues ............................................856.1 ITS and Environment protection..............................................................................856.2 ITS and public transport............................................................................................856.3 ITS and the Global road safety crisis ......................................................................86

7 Why is ITS not adequately addressed on the policy agenda? ............................86

ContentsContents

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8 Gaps and stumbling blocks in ITS deployment ......................................................878.1 Lukewarm political will and limited public understanding of ITS benefits........878.2 Protection of private data..........................................................................................888.3 Different speeds of the public and private sectors ................................................898.4 Lack of a commonly agreed definition for ITS ......................................................908.5 Inter-operability continues to be an issue ..............................................................918.6 Fragmentation of technical standards ....................................................................928.7 Lack of harmonized policies ....................................................................................928.8 Frequency allocation..................................................................................................928.9 Question of Liability ..................................................................................................938.10 Lack of infrastructure ................................................................................................938.11 Lack of or limited ITS training..................................................................................948.12 Non-harmonised Variable Message Signs decrease safety on the roads ............94

9 UNECE’s support for ITS..............................................................................................959.1 In-vehicle ....................................................................................................................959.2 Vehicle to vehicle........................................................................................................969.3 Vehicle to infrastructure............................................................................................969.4 Road Safety and Road Transport..............................................................................969.5 Transport of Dangerous Goods ................................................................................979.6 Intermodal Transport ................................................................................................979.7 Inland Water Transport..............................................................................................979.8 Rail Transport ............................................................................................................989.9 Trans-European Railway and Trans-European Motorway projects ....................989.10 The ForFITs Project ..................................................................................................98

10What’s next?......................................................................................................................99

References..............................................................................................................................100

Part 3

Road MapThe reasons for the UNECE Road Map on Intelligent Transport System (ITS) ....104

The Road Map: 20 global actions to promote the use of ITS................................105

How will the Road Map and its actions be implemented? ....................................111


Technology has been fundamental to transport throughout

human history, but recent rapid advances in information te-chnology promise to transform transport management inways that would have been inconceivable until recently.Just as information and communication technologies arecrucial for sustainable development, so can their use acce-lerate the “greening” of transportation.

Such a transformation is essential. In Europe, almost 20 per cent of gross do-mestic product is generated by the transport sector. This equates to billionsof euros and millions of jobs. Our collective challenge is to improve roadsafety, reduce the congestion of transport corridors for people and freight,and minimize the negative environmental impact of transport. By minimizing traffic congestion and making public transport more attractive,we can significantly reduce transport-generated pollution - including CO2 emis-sions - and stimulate sustainable economic growth. We can help emerging eco-nomies to leap-frog an outmoded development model and integrate more su-stainably into the global economy. The answer lies in Intelligent Transport Systems, options that include real-timetravel information services, new-generation systems for infrastructure chargingand sophisticated management models across all transport modes. To be mosteffective, such systems need to be deployed systematically throughout a giventransportation system and across countries. And, since a set of core technologiesunderpins most Intelligent Transport Systems, it will be necessary for all thoseresponsible for managing them to have the necessary instruction in their appli-cation and use, particularly when deployed on a very large scale. This publication is the first step on this journey. I commend it to governments,academia, industry and all other stakeholders that, together, will be needed tomake the vision of Intelligent Transport Systems a reality.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Ban Ki-moon

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Transport and Communication are among the key assets of

every governmental policy in our fast changing world. Inthe present times of economic impasse, the adoption ofcost-efficient measures in order to make the transport sy-stem as efficient as possible brings transport policies atthe utmost priorities, demanding urgent efforts and specificdedication from all the social, political and economic policy

makers all over the world. Furthermore, mobility policy is part of a complexpattern which need coordinated vision, commitment and investments so asto have visible results, have safer and reliable transport networks as well assafer and performing vehicles.In this context, the deployment of Intelligent Transport System must be consi-dered as the sole tool able to maximize the chances of making the best use ofinvestments, planning and resources, and create a visible profitable outcome.The international scenario is essential to build up a defined and shared policyof intents and operative rules, so to reach a rewarding operational flexibilitythrough proper agreements in the international field. Hence, the whole transportsystem will benefit from technology and from Intelligent Transport System ap-plication. Hence, the concept of the UNECE Road Map on Intelligent TransportSystem has met - the same intent of the Italian government of highlighting thetechnological application to vehicle and infrastructure to build up the seamlessintelligent corridors of transport of the future.The economical development worldwide - in the different circumstances - willhave its boost only through the development of safe and reliable transport net-work. Nowadays, technology plays a quintessential role both for vehicle and in-frastructure allowing an upgrade of safety standards and allowing the efficiencyperformance which lead also to the betterment of the quality of life itself.In the UNECE Road Map, Italy does share the precept that through ITS techno-logy and the best practices exchange, a safer, reliable and efficient transport sy-stem will be grant to the future generations.

Minister of Infrastructures and Transports - Italy

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Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti


Mobility allows all of us to enjoy a high degree of freedom

and quality of life. These achievements must be securedbut, at the same time, they present us with major challen-ges: now and in the future we must make transport moreefficient, more environmentally sound and safer. This ap-plies in particular to road transport. If we want to continuecoping with the ongoing growth in traffic volumes on the

roads - not only in Germany - we need innovative solutions. The wider deploy-ment of intelligent transport systems will have to make a major contribution to-wards achieving this objective. Here, the term “intelligent transport systems”(ITS) refers both to providing optimum technical equipment for vehicles andto making optimum and efficient use of the transport infrastructure. This is truenot only for Germany - because mobility always crosses borders.In Germany we are therefore working on a strategy for evolving intelligent tran-sport systems, which is to help us to both improve existing ITS in road transportand introduce new systems. The Federal Government, federal states, local au-thorities, industry, trade associations and the research community have agreedon priority action areas and approaches. Together with other countries we seekstrategies that can also be applied across national borders in order to make mo-bility sustainable and efficient.For this reason, the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and UrbanDevelopment has been involved for a long time now in the activities of theEuropean Commission aimed at exploring the possibilities for deploying intel-ligent transport systems. In July 2010, the European Parliament and the Counciladopted a Directive on the deployment of intelligent transport systems. The ef-forts made by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)have created the conditions for exploiting the advantages of intelligent techno-logies also beyond the borders of the European Union and for pushing forwardwith the introduction of ITS. A common European legal framework and - to theextent required - harmonized regulations provide an opportunity for establishingselected intelligent transport systems on the market in a speedy manner. Industryis an indispensable partner in this process. It is thus closely involved in all de-cision-making processes where technical and economic issues are addressed.I am therefore very pleased about the UNECE’s commitment aimed at ensuringsafe, efficient and environmentally sound mobility while taking economic inte-rests into account.

Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Development - Germany

Dr. Peter Ramsauer

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Throughout his evolution, Mankind pursued its fulfilment of

needs and expectations: the industrial production and economyof the 19th and 20th centuries have strongly met man’s needsfor mobility, through the creation of vehicles and infrastructureswhich did not exist before. This part of economics has certainlyreached its objective, i.e. making any place on the surface ofthe planet accessible in a very short time compared to displa-

cements of two centuries ago on any transport mode: inland, sea or air. Theneeds were indeed met, and expectations were sometimes even exceeded. The present challenge of engineers and road operators is clearly the improvementof the existing infrastructure and the mitigation of the drawbacks of the tran-sportation process. High volumes of traffic produce harsh contexts in terms ofenvironmental impacts, waiting time, traffic congestion and, what is most dra-matic, accidents that are nowadays amongst the first causes of non-naturaldeath worldwide. The global system of transportation is today passing from acontext which was primarily based upon industrial and civil production (e.g.the creation of transport infrastructures), to a current, double folded one.Transition Countries are using this past approach as a basis for their presentdevelopment, while more developed Countries are now trying to adapt previoustargets towards an optimal maintenance of the existing infrastructure and anoverall optimization of the transport system, through the development of missinglinks and towards objectives of efficiency, quality, safety and security of the ope-ration. Intelligent Transport Systems is one of the most cost-effective tools toimprove all aspects of the transport chain. Consequently SINA and ASTM-SIASgroup deem of key importance this Institutional initiative.

SINA SpA (ASTM-SIAS group) Chairman of the board

Agostino Spoglianti

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United NationsEconomic Commissionfor Europe (UNECE)


T he United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is one of the five UnitedNations regional commissions, administered by the Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC). It was established in 1947 with the mandate to help rebuild post-war Europe,

develop economic activity and strengthen economic relations among European countries, andbetween Europe and the rest of the world. During the Cold War, UNECE served as a uniqueforum for economic dialogue and cooperation between East and West. Despite the complexityof this period, significant achievements were made, with consensus reached on numerous har-monization and standardization agreements. In the post-Cold War era, UNECE acquired not only many new member States, but also newfunctions. Since the early 1990s the organization has focused on analyses of the transitionprocess, using its harmonization experience to facilitate the integration of Central and EasternEuropean countries into the global markets. UNECE is the forum where the countries of western, central and eastern Europe, central Asiaand North America - 56 countries in all - come together to forge the tools of their economic co-operation. That cooperation concerns economics, statistics, environment, transport, trade, sus-tainable energy, timber and habitat. The Commission offers a regional framework for the elab-oration and harmonization of conventions, norms and standards. The Commission’s expertsprovide technical assistance to the countries of South-East Europe and the Commonwealth ofIndependent States. This assistance takes the form of advisory services, training seminars andworkshops where countries can share their experiences and best practices.

IntroductIntroduction

T he UNECE Inland Transport Committee (ITC) facilitates the international movementof persons and goods by inland transport modes. It aims to improve competitiveness,safety, energy efficiency and security in the transport sector. At the same time it focuses

on reducing the adverse effects of transport activities on the environment and contributing ef-fectively to sustainable development. The ITC is a: • Centre for multilateral transport standards and agreements in Europe and beyond, e.g.

regulations for dangerous goods transport and road vehicle construction at the globallevel.

• Gateway for technical assistance and exchange of best practices.• Promoter of multi-country investment planning.• Substantive partner for transport and trade facilitation initiatives.• Historic centre for transport statistics.For more than six decades, ITC has provided a platform for intergovernmental cooperation tofacilitate and develop international transport while improving its safety and environmental per-formance. The main results of this persevering and important work are reflected in more than50 international agreements and conventions which provide an international legal frameworkand technical regulations for the development of international road, rail, inland water and in-termodal transport, as well as dangerous goods transport and vehicle construction. Consideringthe needs of transport sector and its regulators, UNECE offers a balanced approach to andtreatment of facilitation and security issues alike. In

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Intelligent Transport Systems play an important role in shaping the future waysof mobility and the transport sector. We expect that through the use of ITSapplications transport will become more efficient, safer and greener. The hugepotentials and benefits, however, can only be reaped if ITS solutions are put inplace - internationally harmonized as much as possible.

Long since, UNECE focused on Intelligent Transport System as a valuable technology -driven instrument able to boost the future of the transport systems. Hence, the firstUNECE Round Table on ITS was organized in 2004 and the first ITS focal point wasnomined. At the same time, the Division intensified its work and promotion of ITSinside and outside the United Nations.

UNECE Working Parties undertake to implement the Division’s strategies, while giventheir competences and mandates - they consider the different aspects of ITS and itscompliance with UN legal instruments and technical provisions.

To this end, UNECE Working Parties have been and are dealing with IntelligentTransport Systems. The Working Party on Road Traffic Safety (WP.1), for example, isadvancing on liability concerns, Variable Message Signs or safety risks related to driverdistraction. The Working Party on Inland Water Transport (SC.3) resolves questionsrelated to River Information Systems (RIS). The Working Party on the Transport ofDangerous Goods (WP.15) examines how Telematics can be used to enhance safety andsecurity and the Working Party on Road Transport (SC.1) drives the Digital tachographand e-CMR implementation. The World Forum for Harmonization of VehicleRegulations (WP.29) promotes ITS matters on-board of vehicles, such as LaneDeparture Warnings Systems (LDWS), Advanced Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS)and on-board diagnostics (OBDs).

In 2010, driven by the commitment to further advocate the potential added value of ITSin achieving a sustainable mobility all across transport modes, the UNECE secretariatlaunched a study on the use and best practices in ITS solutions worldwide. Thus, theUNECE secretariat with the active support of the German and Italian TransportMinistries, as well as SINA - Società Iniziative Nazionali Autostradali, cooperated tobuild up a general view of the ITS deployment and current best practices, as well ofareas of work where UNECE could further promote the use of ITS.


OverviewOverview

UNECE and IntelligentTransport Systems

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A draft strategic note was subject to a web-based public consultation in March throughto July 2011. All comments received from Governments, businesses and academia,were thus incorporated to the final strategic note and in the Road Map on ITS. Thisforms two of the main chapters of this publication and leads to the pathway of theUNECE publication “Intelligent Transport Systems for sustainable mobility”.The overall goals are:

(a) To share information (including best practices) and raise awareness about the values ITS solutions can deliver through the background document.

(b) To identify the main gaps in and impediments to the broader use and rapid dissemination of ITS applications irrespective which organizations, institutionsor bodies can or will fill the gap through the strategic note.

(c) To outline the areas and list the ITS activities that UNECE can embark uponeither as a continuation of on-going tasks or as new initiatives through theUNECE Road Map on ITS.

Throughout the publication, it will be evident that technological innovation leads legaland institutional change and that governments and policy-makers are urged to catch-upwith the current trends and even speed up their actions.

The core objective of the UNECE strategy on ITS, embodied by this publication, is tolobby for new actions and policies where ITS improve the quality of life and makesustainable mobility available across borders.

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UNECE’s role in the promotion ofIntelligent Transport Systems

Background document


Backgroundocument

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The world’s citizens depend on safe, efficient and securetransport systems. Whether we travel by road, boat, rail or airwe rely on our transportation systems to get us where we

need to go. The same systems play an important role in our nationaleconomic well-being, making it possible to move goods from placeto place and to succeed in the global marketplace. Starting from anoverview of the actions so far initiated by the United NationsEconomic Commission for Europe (UNECE) on IntelligentTransport Systems (ITS), the final aim of this document is toproduce a policy vision summarizing and addressing theopportunities created by the application of new technologies intransport, and consequently to draft action proposals for theimplementation of ITS.

“There must be a reason why some people can affordto live well. I only feel angry when I see the waste”(Mother Teresa of Calcutta)

Different systems of transport can be improved and made more efficient,providing safer travelling conditions, avoiding the waste of material resourcesand energy and protecting and enhancing human lives. Intelligent TransportSystems are integral to achieving this target.

This paper serves as an outlineof existing literature andcurrent technologies. Theopinions expressed by theauthors are in no way bindingto the Transport Division, theInland Transport Committee ofthe UNECE, the Italian Ministryof Infrastructures andTransport or SINA.The designations employed andthe presentation of material inthis publication do not imply theexpression of any opinionwhatsoever on the part of theSecretariat of the United Nations

concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, orof its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers andboundaries.

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When we look at transport systems,it is easy to see that the greatestchallenge we currently face is en-hancing the quality and safety ofmobility itself, by improving vehi-

cles and all relevant transport infrastructures. Any steps forward should take into considerationthe concept of efficiency, which is linked to energyconsumption and the use of land. This forces us toconsider the general impact that the mobility ofpeople and the transportation of goods have onthe environment around us.In this document, we will refer frequently to theconcepts of safety and security in transport. Roadsafety is a concern that affects us all in our every-day lives. Security is also important to us; both thegeneral public and businesses alike need to knowthat their vehicles and goods are safeguarded andthat they themselves are protected from fraudulentacts connected to transport and its infrastructure.Information and Communication Technologies(ICT) relating to road transport usage are ofteninternationally referred to as Intelligent TransportSystems (ITS). These include a wide range of or-ganisational and technology-based systems thatare designed to facilitate the realisation of effi-cient, seamless transport systems with optimisedtraffic flows, doing away with the bottlenecksand queues to which we have become accus-tomed. The deployment of ITS provides for thebetter usage of both existing road networks andavailable energy while also helping to curb acci-

dents and improve the efficiency of transport asa whole. Intelligent Transport Systems providestate-of-the-art customised devices that can relayreal-time information to road users and law en-forcement agencies, while also facilitating remoteaccess to pre-paid accounts and electronic pay-ments.Technologies that allow authorities and operatorsto achieve managed transport networks and moresustainable land mobility generally come under theumbrella of ITS. In-vehicle and roadside ITS includeall technologies that improve vehicle and infra-structure safety, enabling smooth and comfortabletransportation by making use of specific vehiclefunctions and interacting with roadside infrastruc-ture and sometimes other vehicles.

Intelligent Transport Systems solutions utilise ad-vanced information technologies related to driverassistance, traffic management and vehicle control,which are constantly improving the quality of in-teraction between highway systems and vehicles.

This document provides an overview on:(a) ICT for transport and logistics.(b) Concrete solutions for achieving better quality,

more secure and more efficient road transport.(c) Different transport modes and how they can

be twinned with road transport policies.(d) The extent to which ITS and ICT may be inte-

grated to enable better transport monitoring.

1. Introduction


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UN General Assembly resolutions havestated that over the coming decadestransportation is expected to be themajor driving force behind a growingworld demand for energy. All over the

globe adequate, efficient and effective transport sys-tems will make a huge difference in the way we liveour lives. Transport will play a key role in emergingeconomies, where the improvement of transportnetworks will lead to - amongst other things - thereclamation of marshes and unusable land, improvedaccess to markets, improved employment and edu-cation opportunities and the establishment of basicservices critical to poverty reduction.

Road accidents: the No. 1 policy challengeUN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon(1): “This year,more than one million people across the world willdie from road traffic injuries. This total includes about400,000 people under 25 years old, and road trafficcrashes are the leading cause of death for 10 to 24-year-olds. Several million more men, women andyoung people will be injured or disabled. In additionto the human suffering, the annual cost of road trafficinjuries worldwide runs to hundreds of billions of dol-lars. In low and middle-income countries, the economiccost of road injuries will be more than the developmentaid they receive. [...] urge UN member States and globalroad safety partners to foster cooperation under UNauspices”.

Road traffic injuries are a major but neglected publichealth concern requiring concerted multi-sectoral ef-forts for effective and sustainable prevention. In Eu-rope alone, every year road traffic accidents(2):

• Kill around 127,000 people.• Injure some 2.4 million.• Kill more children and young people aged

5-29 than any other cause of death.

In EU Member States road traffic accidents are theleading cause of death and hospital admission for

EU citizens under the age of 45. Mobility comes at ahigh price: 1,300,000 accidents a year cause 40,000deaths and 1,700,000 injuries on the roads in the EU.The direct and indirect costs have been estimated atEUR 160 billion, i.e. 2% of the GDP. Road safety con-tinues to be a priority area for action in the EU(3).Road traffic injury levels of this magnitude not onlypresent a pressing health issue, but affect societyas a whole. In lower-income countries budget con-straints and lack of resources result in poor infra-structure investment. In order to achieve leverage of costs, traffic plannersare still designing road networks largely from theperspective of motor vehicle users rather than tak-ing into account the spectrum of different vehicletypes and patterns of road use. For instance, makingsure that pedestrian and cycle paths connected topublic transportation systems have sections sepa-rate from roads as well as sections running parallelto roads, with particular attention devoted to safecrossings at junctions, would drastically reduce thenumber of traffic accident victims(4).With this in mind, during its 87th Plenary Meeting on31 March 2008, the General Assembly adopted res-olution 62/244 on improving global road safety.Through this resolution the General Assembly “reaf-

firms the importance of addressing global road

safety issues and the need for the further strength-

ening of international cooperation, taking into ac-

count the needs of developing countries by building

capacities in the field of road safety and providing

financial and technical support for their efforts”.When we look at EU institutions, their transportpolicies not only aimed at halving traffic-relatedcasualties by 2010, but also set of transport effi-ciency as an absolute priority, leading the way tobetter, more cost-effective transportation. In thefuture, evident improvements in environmental pro-tection and consequently the beneficial effects oncitizens’ daily lives could be directly linked to theEU’s action plan for ITS and the EU directive onITS which was adopted on 7 July 2010 (Directive2010/40/EU and COM (2008)886).The UN is deeply involved in the challenge presentedby environmental sustainability and climate change.Moreover, it is committed to the crucial necessity of

2. Long-term and wide-ranging transport objectives

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(1) UNECE, UNECE Transport Review - Road Safety, First edition - New York and Geneva, November 2008Available from www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/UNECE-Transport-Review-1-2008.pdf

(2) Available from www.euro.who.int/violenceinjury/injuries/20030911_1, August 2009

(3) Available from http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/observatory/doc/rsap_en.pdf, 2010

directing all possible efforts, inany field and by any means, to-wards curbing the impact thaturbanization, technological de-velopment and industrializa-tion have on the environment.The Millennium Development

Goals have been defined as key policy objectives forthe UN and include a specific goal dedicated to “En-vironmental Sustainability”. The UN considers theachievement of this goal as one of the fundamentalprinciples for world development.

Environmental sustainability: a policy for current and futuregenerationsFrom remarks(6) made by UN Secretary-General BanKi-moon to the Global Environment Forum on 11 Au-gust 2009: “Reykjavik in Iceland... Curitiba in Brazil...Kampala in Uganda... Sydney in Australia. Whenever Ivisit these places, I am impressed. People everywhereare accepting that we must all live cleaner, greener,more sustainable lives. This is our future”. [...] “I promiseyou my best effort as Secretary-General of the UnitedNations - my best effort to push, pull and cajole nationalleaders into acting in our common global interest”.UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in addressing theUniversity of Copenhagen, Denmark, on 3 October 2009:“If there is one lesson that we must learn from the climatecrisis and our great challenges, it is this: we share one pla-net, one small blue speck in space. As people, as nations,as a species: we sink or swim together”.

Since the introduction of Agenda 21 in 1992(5), a com-prehensive plan of actions has been gradually realised

globally, nationally and locally by the organizationsof the United Nations, governments, and stakeholders.These measures are set to make significant contribu-tions to the quality of life of the world’s citizensthrough caring for the Earth’s ecosystems.During the Ministerial Conference on Global Envi-ronment and Energy in Transport (MEET), held inTokyo, Japan on 15-16 January 2009, as well asMEET 2010, held in Rome (Italy) on 8 and 9 No-vember, the ministers and relevant representativesresponsible for environment and energy in thetransport sector, stated: “Transport is an important

foundation of our society, supporting a wide range

of human activities, and contributing to economic

and social development. It is, at the same time, re-

sponsible for considerable emissions of carbon

dioxide (CO2), which impacts global climate, and

air pollutants, which impact public health and the

environment of many urban areas”(7).Urgent action is required to address these issueswhile also adhering to sustainable development prin-ciples. One of the ways in which this can be achievedis through a shared long-term vision of realizing low-carbon and low-pollution transport systems. If welook at environmental policy targets while consid-ering the general principles of the Kyoto Protocol,environmental planning and management policiesrelated to transport should also be established. Applying new technologies to transport could in-deed be seen as an efficient tool for realizing theplans set during the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) sum-mits in Bali (2007) and in Poznań (2008), as wellas in Copenhagen (2009), Cancun (2010) and Dur-ban (2011). Within this framework, the UNECE re-gion could play a pivotal role in contributing to thefight against climate change and lead the way in


(4) WHO report (2004)(5) Agenda 21, the “Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,” and the “Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of

Forests” were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Riode Janerio, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992 http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21

(6) Available from www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=557

(7) Available from The Ministerial Conference on Global Environment and Energy in Transport, Tokyo, Japan, 14th-16th January 2009

1. Millennium

Development

Goal 7

2. UN Secretary

General

Ban Ki-moon

3. Reference

manual of the

Kyoto Protocol(9)

1

Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020Road safety is one of the most serious challenges facingsociety today with more than one million fatalities everyyear. United Nations General Assembly resolution 64/255declared the period 2011-2020 as a decade of action forRoad Safety, with a goal to reduce road traffic fatalitiesworldwide.UNECE has pioneered road safety activities in the UNsystem. As the only UN intergovernmental body con-cerned with road safety, it develops and administersinternational legal instruments in the area of traffic re-gulations, construction and technical inspection of ve-hicles as well as safe transport of dangerous goods.

These instruments have assisted member States acrossthe world to harmonize and enforce traffic rules, pro-duce safe and clean road vehicles, reduce the risk ofaccidents with dangerous goods and hazardous ma-terials and ensure that only safe and well maintainedvehicles and competent drivers are allowed to partici-pate in traffic. Moreover, transport infrastructure agree-ments developed under UNECE auspices, have givenEurope coherent pan-European and safer road tran-sport networks. The UNECE attaches great weight tothe Decade of action increasing road safety and it hasambitious plans for a series of road safety activities toeducate, to raise awareness, to induce action and tocreate dynamic and effective responses.

achieving the targets set by UN Millennium Devel-opment Goal 7, balancing the socio-economicneeds brought by radical industrial changes with apolicy of sustainable development and efficienttransport networks. This also includes considera-tion of the critical limits imposed by the Gothen-burg Protocol in 1999 on the environmental effectsof acidification, eutrophication and ground-levelozone through emission cuts in SO2, NOx, NMVOCsand ammonia.This vision of placing transport in a challenging ven-ture with environmental issues is also being pursuedpractically through the gradual accomplishment ofthe UNECE Pan-European Programme on Transport,Health and Environment (THE PEP). This programmeincludes the transport, health and environment sec-tors currently implementing innovative technologicalpolicies aimed at curbing CO2 emissions and makesa remarkable contribution to global climate change.When discussing the policy direction and environ-mental approach that transport should take, it is im-portant to consider the recent Amsterdam declara-

tion on Transport Choices for Health, Environmentand Prosperity (January 2009(10)), where the prioritygoals of reducing the emission of transport-relatedgreenhouse gases, air pollutants and noise were setto improve the quality of life in urban areas. Culturalchange, therefore, has to be achieved through plan-ning clean and efficient public transport, intermodalconnections and infrastructure for environmentallyfriendly and health-friendly transport.

Priority Goal No. 2 of theAmsterdam Declaration“To manage sustainable mobility and promote a moreefficient transport system by promoting mobility ma-nagement schemes for businesses, schools, leisure ac-tivities, communities and cities, raising awareness ofmobility choices by improving the coordination bet-ween land use and transport planning and promotingthe use of information technology”. Here we can cle-arly observe that the use of ITS is key to the propo-sed policy.

In order to reach all these objectives, governmentalpolicymakers, together with international bodiessuch as the World Forum for Harmonization of Ve-hicle Regulations of the United Nations EconomicCommission for Europe (UNECE/WP.29), encour-age the research, development and deployment(RD&D) of innovative technologies and promotethe use of concrete measures such as ITS tech-nologies. It is clear that technological development, or theupgrading of the technological infrastructure of atransport network, is an essential component forenhancing quality of life and integral to achievinga transport network that is both efficient and com-plies with environment and energy ideals. Sharing the same vision, the European Commission(EC) issued a White Paper in 2001 (reviewed in 2006)

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(8) Available from http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.pdf

(9) Available from http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/08_unfccc_kp_ref_manual.pdf

(10) Available from http://www.unece.org/press/pr2009/09env_p01_Add1_e.htm See http://www.euro.who.int/document/E92356.pdf

2

Kyoto ProtocolThe Kyoto Protocol(8) is an international agreement linked to the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change, that sets commitments, binding targets and mandatory actionsfor 37 industrialized countries and the European Community in order to reduce greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions. Each Party signing the Protocol, in achieving its quantified emission limitationand reduction commitments (see Protocol art. 3), is bound to implement and/or further elaboratethe policies and measures listed in article 2 of the Protocol. The first of the policies undertakenby Parties signing the Protocol is the: “Enhancement of energy efficiency in relevant sectors of thenational economy”. Kyoto Protocol article 2, a, (i). In the field of transport the promotion and de-ployment of ITS is a measure fully consistent and compliant with this policy.

3

asserting that member States and operators need towork on all modal areas as a whole. The 2006 revisedof the White Paper(11) allocates a wide window ofpossibility for the use of ITS. In addition, halvingthe number of road fatalities on EU roads in the pe-riod up to 2010 was one of the strongest commit-ments EU policy makers made in the White paper. While approaching the end of the 10-year periodcovered by the 2001 White Paper, the EC thoughtthat it was time to look further ahead and definea vision for the future of transport. Therefore,they published the Communication on the Futureon Transport in June 2009. With other actions,this led to the new White Paper “Roadmap to a

Single European Transport Area - Towards a

competitive and resource efficient transport sys-

tem” COM (2011) 144 as well as their Road Safetyprogramme 2011-2020. Halving the number of EU road fatalities has notbeen achieved in all EU countries by 2010, but itcan be noted that since 2001 the number of roadfatalities has decreased dramatically across theEU. Today there are 35 per cent fewer accidentsthan there were 10 years ago. Some countries haveeven seen more dramatic reductions, such as Latviawith 55 per cent and Portugal, Estonia and Spainwith half the number of fatalities than of 2001.As already mentioned, in December 2008 the ECproposed the ITS Action Plan and Directive tothe European Parliament and European Council.This was a step toward the deployment and useof ITS in road transport for the European Union.The action plan suggests a set of concrete meas-ures, supplemented with a proposal for a directivelaying down the framework for their implemen-tation. The EC deems that ITS can significantlycontribute to a cleaner, safer and more efficienttransport system. Indeed, Antonio Tajani, former Commission Vice-President responsible for transport, stated whenpresenting the Action Plan: “Making transport

greener, reducing congestion and saving lives on

Europe’s roads are high priorities for the Commis-

sion. Intelligent Transport Systems will help us

make progress towards achieving these goals. To-

day’s initiative will therefore foster a more efficient,

safer and more sustainable mobility in Europe”(12).At an international level, key figures from gov-ernment and politics, business and industry, re-search organizations and civil society are debat-ing the worldwide strategic importance oftransport. The International Transport Forum(13)

(ITF) is a global platform and meeting place atthe highest level for discussing transport, logistics

and mobility. In this respect, it is worthwhile ref-erencing two products from the forum:1. “Resolution 2003/1 on assessment and deci-

sion making for integrated transport and en-

vironment policy”, in which it is recommendedthat a systematic evaluation of economic, socialand environmental effects is carried out for alltransport plans and programmes and all majortransport sector investments.

2. The OECD/RTR publication: “Delivering the

Goods - 21st century challenges to urban goods

transport” - an outcome of the WorkingGroup’s efforts to identify “best practices” indealing with challenges facing urban goodstransport, recommending measures to developsustainable goods transport systems in Organ-isation for Economic Cooperation and Devel-opment (OECD) cities. The mission is to pro-mote economic development in OECDmember countries by enhancing transportsafety, efficiency and sustainability through acooperative research programme on road andintermodal transport.

Both of these recommendations have been realizedin order to promote integrated development inglobal transport, a drive for which ITS harmoniza-tion is integral. The OECD/RTR publication alsorecommends(14) a wide range of compliance/as-surance mechanisms that need to be investigated,including on-road enforcement, audit systems andsurveillance methods (including the use ofITS/electronic monitoring systems). Transportsystems are a major factor in economic develop-ment and the promotion of the sustainable de-velopment of transport networks, which shouldbe the overall aim of efficient transport policies,systems and travel services. When looking at the three major aspects of roadsafety (vehicles, infrastructure and the behaviouraltraits of road users) it appears evident that the useof new technologies and the deployment of ITSwould facilitate progress in all three domains. Im-provement in road safety and transport would be aconsequence. The experiences of member Statesand road operators show how even relatively smallinvestments in ITS provide for a better use of exist-ing infrastructure. ITS could offer a swift answer tothe demand for more efficient, cleaner and safertransport, both for passenger and freight services.Thanks to the strategic opportunities offered by ITSand its relative cost-efficiency, many institutions andstakeholders consider the deployment of ITS to bea key opportunity for transport policymakers interms of delivering seamless and efficient cus-


(11) Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Keep Europe moving - Sustainable mobility for our continent- Mid-term review of the European Commission’s 2001 Transport White paper [COM(2006)314]Available from http://ec.europa.eu/transport/strategies/2006_keep_europe_moving_en.htm

(12) Available from http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1979&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLan-

guage=en

(13) Formerly the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, the International Transport Forum is an inter-governmental organization within the

tomized transport solutions across large geographi-cal areas. Intelligent Transport Systems offer thepossibility of providing road users with several state-of-the-art technological services, thus acceleratingthe advancement of economic, environmental andsocial benefits. The potential benefits that can begained from real-time information (position of vehi-cles, relevant itinerary, information on goods, etc.)must not be limited to the classic ITS mainstays ofsafety and efficiency; there is also the possibility ofelectronically integrating road freight traffic withinthe overall administrative framework of intermodaltransport, creating a more integrated and automatedprocess and facilitating automatic procedures thatare both more efficient and user-friendly. Consequently, ITS applications have a major roleto play in the abovementioned policy goals; newtechnologies are indispensable tools for quicklyperforming otherwise long-winded transport ob-jectives. The use of advanced ITS technologycould also provide an opportunity to promote theconcept of a model where road transport fullyintegrates with other transport modes, whereeach mode complements the next, enabling amore efficient global transport system - a systemthat is also environmentally friendly. Further-more, the deployment of ITS has to be valued asa winning factor for countries with economies intransition, where the high-tech upgrading of in-frastructure could help bypass existing hin-drances and gaps in road networks, providing

safer and faster mobility which, as explained be-fore, is one of the pillars of building a societybased upon equity and social justice.The Economic and Social Commission for Asiaand the Pacific (ESCAP) Conference held in June2007 in Bangkok, Thailand focused on the utiliza-tion and advancement of the transport potentialof the corridors in Western Asia. The occasionacted as a special awakening, where the ESCAPRegional Forum of Freight Forwarders, Multi-modal Transport Operators and Logistics ServiceProviders lay out (as they did at the MinisterialConference on Transport held in Busan, SouthKorea, in November 2006) the crucial need toconcentrate on the development of an interna-tional integrated infrastructural road networkable to support the intermodal transport and lo-gistics system of the South Western Asia region,under the overall framework of sustainable de-velopment. The deployment of ITS is a key factorfor shaping a competitive and proper sub-re-gional, regional and international network forsafer and more cost-effective transport systems.In this way, under the auspices of the UN and itsregional commissions, information sharing, bestpractice and further opportunities can be nur-tured through a culture of mutual assistance inITS-focused programmes that enhance the con-cept of transport corridors, the application oftime-cost/distance methodologies and providecustomized assistance for development.

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OECD family. Its founding member countries include all the OECD members, as well as many countries in Central and Eastern EuropeIn addition, Brazil, China and India are being invited to participate. The involvement of more than 50 Ministers of Transport ensures direct linksand strong relevance to policy making at both national and international levels. The aim is to foster a deeper understanding of the essential roleplayed by transport in the economy and society

(14) Available from http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/Pub/pdf/05Standards.pdf Chapter “Executive summary and recommendations”,

page 13

Technological innovation and the use ofInformation and Communication Tech-nologies (ICT) for transport relate tothe whole set of procedures, systemsand devices that enable:

(a) Improvements in the mobility of people andtransportation of passengers and goods,through the collection, communication, pro-cessing and distribution of information.

(b) The acquisition of feedback on experiencesand a quantification of the results gathered.

References shall be made to assessments con-ducted on the impact that ICT have on the qualityof transport services, energy consumption, the ef-ficiency of road transport, safety, cost-effectivenessand environmental friendliness.Information and Communication Technologies ap-plied to transport(15) are therefore essentially basedupon a series of supporting communication sys-tems, which can be considered as the foundationsdeveloping any piece of technological equipmentor ITS service. These systems include:• Telecommunication Networks (TLC).• Automatic identification systems (AEI/AVI(16)).• Systems for automatically locating vehicles

(AVLS(17)).• Protocols for the electronic exchange of data

(EDI(18)).• Cartographic databases and information

sytems providing geographical data (GIS(19)).• Systems for the collection of traffic data, in-

cluding Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) and systemsfor the automatic classification of vehicles.

• Systems for counting the number of users of apublic transport system (APC(20)).

The above listed information and communicationsupport systems, which can be integrated withone another in specific configurations dependingon the requirements and features of differenttransport modes and services, can be applied tohelp increase efficiency and competitiveness, pre-vent human error, limit pollution and improve

overall quality of service. The individual “foun-dation stones” can be assembled according to dif-ferent architectural needs in order to performspecific services.Among such support systems, telecommunicationnetworks are key elements that provide a backbonefor associating some of the other above listed sys-tems. Intelligent Transportation Systems encom-pass a broad range of wireless and wireline com-munication-based information and electronictechnologies. When integrated into the infrastruc-ture of transportation systems and in vehicles them-selves these technologies relieve congestion, im-prove safety and enhance transport systemproductivity.The EC’s “e-safety” initiative Working Group on “In-telligent Infrastructure”, co-chaired by the EuropeanAssociation of Tolled Motorway, Bridge and Tunnels(ASECAP) and the Conference of European Direc-tors of Roads (CEDR), issued the following defini-tion(21):“Intelligent Infrastructure is roadside organisa-

tionsal structure and technology for ICT-based,

cooperative services that are beneficial for both

road users and road network operators”.

According to a definition from the Research andInnovative Technology Administration (RITA(22)),ITS is made up of 16 types of technology-basedsystems. According to this classification, these sys-tems can be further divided into the subcategories“intelligent infrastructure” and “intelligent vehicle”.Each definition has several components, accordingto RITA.Intelligent infrastructure includes:• Arterial management (surveillance, traffic con-

trol, lane management, parking management,information dissemination, enforcement).

• Freeway management (surveillance, ramp con-trol, lane management, special event response,transportation management, information dis-semination, enforcement).

• Crash prevention & safety (road geometry


3. Technical overview of Intelligent Transport Systems

3.1 Basic definitions and preliminary considerations

(15) Here the broad range of on-board applications using ICT is relates only to infrastructure, transport and traffic(16) Automatic Equipment Identification, Automatic Vehicle Identification(17) Automatic Vehicle Locating System(18) Electronic Data Interchange(19) Geographic Information System(20) Automatic Passenger Counters

warning, highway-rail crossing warning sys-tems, intersection collision warning, pedes-trian safety, bicycle warning, animal warning).

• Road weather management (surveillance,monitoring & prediction, information dissem-ination, advisory strategies, traffic control,control strategies, response & treatment -treatment strategies).

• Roadway operations & maintenance (informa-tion dissemination, surveillance, work zonemanagement).

• Transit management (operations & fleet man-agement, information dissemination, transporta-tion demand management, safety & security).

• Traffic incident management (surveillance &detection, mobilization & response, informa-tion dissemination, clearance & recovery).

• Emergency management (hazardous materialsmanagement, emergency medical services, re-sponse & recovery).

• Electronic payment and pricing (toll collec-tion, transit fare payment, parking fee pay-ment, multi-use payment, pricing).

• Traveler information (pre-trip information, enroute information, tourism & events).

• Information management (data archiving).• Commercial vehicle operations (credentials

administration, safety assurance, electronicscreening, carrier operations & fleet manage-ment, security operations).

• Intermodal freight (freight tracking, surveil-lance, freight terminal processes, drayage op-erations, freight-highway connector system,international border crossing processes).

Intelligent vehicle includes:• Collision avoidance (intersection collision

warning, obstacle detection, lane change as-sistance, lane departure warning, rollover

warning, road departure warning, forward col-lision warning, rear impact warning).

• Driver assistance (navigation/route guidance,driver communication, vision enhancement,object detection, adaptive cruise control, in-telligent speed control, lane keeping assis-tance, roll stability control, drowsy driverwarning systems, precision docking, cou-pling/decoupling, on-board monitoring).

• Collision notification (mayday/automated col-lision notification, advanced automated colli-sion notification).

If we look at roadside ITS applications and services,the European project “EasyWay(23)” classifies themas follows:• Traveller information services provide travellers

with comprehensive real-time traffic informa-tion allowing well-informed travel decisions(pre-trip information) as well as informationduring the journey (on-trip).

• Traffic management services provide real-timeguidance information to the traveller andhauler, detecting incidents and emergenciesto ensure the safe and efficient use of the roadnetwork. Enforcement is part of traffic man-agement.

• Freight and logistics services aim to optimisethe capacity and efficiency of goods transportby providing safe and easy access to intermodalterminals (ports, rail and road connections, etc.).

• Connected ICT infrastructure that works effi-ciently is a prerequisite for ITS deployment pro-viding the end user services with informationfrom systems that monitor the road situation inreal time and enabling different operators at na-tional or cross-border level to ensure interoper-ability and continuity of services through har-monized data provided by connected systems.

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(21) Available from www.esafetysupport.org/en/esafety_activities/esafety_working_groups/intelligent_infrastructure.htm

(22) The Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) coordinates the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) research programsand is charged with advancing the deployment of cross-cutting technologies to improve the transportation system of the United States. The clas-sification of ITS technologies as consolidated and proposed by RITA is summarized on its website (www.its.dot.gov/index.htm)

(23) Project co-financed by European Commission DG TREN, available from www.easyway-its.eu

Transport is a key tool for most services re-lated to trade, information and finance. Tradebetween different continents may require air

or sea transport, whereas intra-continental tradeis heavily reliant on road and rail freight.In European countries, the past few years havedemonstrated a growing demand for roadtransport - a demand that has been rising evenmore rapidly than GDP itself - undoubtedly dueto the growth of private traffic (industrializedcountries’ citizens have become more and moreaccustomed to the convenience and flexibilityof private vehicles) and to the increased de-mand for available goods (which implies com-mercial import/export traffic). Before the eco-nomic crisis, the EC estimated a minimumgrowth of 15 per cent in road traffic in thedecade starting in 2010(24). The 2008 economic downturn, which has influ-enced productive assets all over the globe, sig-nificantly reduced traffic on motorways, specif-ically among heavy-goods vehicles.Considering this reduction in traffic we can ex-pect that in the forthcoming years traffic growthwill cause the transport system to recover to-wards the traffic levels of 2007, before startingto significantly increase once again.Transport is an essential asset of the economyof the European region. According to the EC(25)

the transport industry as a whole accounts foraround 7 per cent of GDP and for over 5 percent of total employment in the EU (of which4.4 per cent corresponds to transport servicesand the rest to transport equipment manufac-turing) while 8.9 million jobs are created bytransport services and 3 million by transportequipment manufacturing.If we examine employment by mode of transportfrom EU statistics(26), road transport (bothfreight and passenger) accounts for around 52per cent of overall employment in the differenttransport modes. Road transport is an essentialelement of the global economy. In fact, it has major economic, social and envi-ronmental implications.Economically, the more a country is able to in-crease its overall infrastructural estate, the morethe economic system appears to be in transitionfrom a context prevailingly based upon the pro-

duction of new, directly tangible assets - both in-dustrial and civil (the latter concerning both build-ings and transport infrastructure) - to anotherbased upon the operation, maintenance and serv-icing of such assets. The second economic state can be labelled the“optimization phase”, where safety, security,quality and efficiency become the main watch-words for operators. This model is true for thosedeveloped countries that have a widely branchedtransportation network and consequently needto continuously devote resources to its mainte-nance, operation and upgrade.The concept of efficiency, which is intrinsicallylinked to energy consumption and the use of landby infrastructure and the vehicles on that infra-structure, leads to a need to assess the impactmade on the environment caused by the mobilityof people through the operation of motor vehi-cles and the transportation of goods.The priorities of transport policies throughoutthe European region in the forthcoming decadeshould be based on the following factors: (a) In the years ahead, it is likely that a rise in

demand for the provision of transport infra-structures could challenge traffic planners -as happened in previous decades, especiallyin emerging economies. This is an assump-tion that could only be brought about by thegreater future average mobility of peopleand therefore a greater level of displacementfrom and to workplaces and householdsthrough a rise in the amount of goods thatneed to be moved.

(b) There is a need to focus on the maintenance,improvement and completion of existingprojects while at the same time pursuinggreater safety, security and quality in termsof fluidity in movement and waiting times,as well as pursuing efficiency, mainly interms of savings in energy and consequentlythe quality of the environment.

A single correct approach that takes these intoaccount does not exist. Each developed countryor emerging economy needs a specific solutionresponsive to its own economic growth trend,public needs and demand for sustainable devel-opment.ITS cannot offer the solution to all transport

ITS for sustainable mobility

(24) Eva Molnar, “Becoming wise about ITS”, Intelligent Transport ISSN 1757-3440(25) Communication “A sustainable future for transport: Towards an integrated, technology-led and user friendly system” adopted by the

Commission on 17 June 2009, available from http://ec.europa.eu/transport/strategies/2009_future_of_transport_en.htm

(26) DG TREN, “EU Energy and Transport in figures”

32

3.2 Road transport: the growing interest in safety, security, quality and efficiency

Safety and security in Information and Com-munication Technologies (ICT) should dis-tinguish between:

(a) Safe driving and (in the broadest sense) thesafety of people.

(b) Security and the protection of both vehiclesand goods, also in relation to incidents result-ing from fraudulent acts.

Safety in a transport system entails being able totravel or perform the displacement of one or morevehicles or goods under safe conditions (i.e. wherethe level of hazards is as low as possible). Naturally,the long-term target is to achieve negligible or zerorisk but common experience dictates that no hu-man activity is completely risk-free. When vehiclesare in motion, hazards may be caused by:(a) The driver, or any users of the transport infra-

structure.(b) The vehicle or the means of transport, includ-

ing what the vehicle is transporting (passen-gers, goods, etc.).

(c) The infrastructure and the surrounding envi-ronment.

If we look at the role of the driver, safety issues typ-ically arise from a sharp variation in one or morefactors other than the driver's actual behaviour (thedriver’s reaction itself linked to other prerequisitessuch as driving skill, psychological and physical con-dition, behavioural approach to driving, etc.) andthe performance of the vehicle they are driving. Tools and devices - typically for real time informationand normally made up of ICT tools (both for on-board and roadside ITS) - can be used to support tothe driver:(a) To influence the behaviour of a single driver

or to intervene to aid them.(b) To make up for their temporary inability/inat-

tention or for the possible occurrence of weakpsychological and physical conditions and ir-regular behaviour.

(c) To influence public behaviour, promoting thebetter use of alternative infrastructures or to

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3.3 The concepts of safety and security in transport: the role of the Intelligent Transport Systems

problems, but ITS can ameliorate in a wide rangeof situations with an intelligent use of existingcapacity and infrastructure, reducing the wasteof energy and resources from the improper andinefficient use of the transport system as awhole.Finally, the efficiency promoted by ITS is nor-

mally linked to the productivity of macro-eco-nomic systems and consequently assumes agreater economic multiplier effect. The effectsresulting from the process should not only bevisible when observing the direct impact, butalso when one recognises the leverage exertedon the economy.

Developed and developing countriesRoad networks in developed economies are usually wellevolved but the high level of registered traffic meansgreater and greater measures are required to ease con-gestion, remove bottlenecks, achieve overall optimizationof the network and realize safer and more energy-efficienttransport solutions both in rural and urban areas. Highlybranched road networks, together with roads alreadyequipped with a basic or advanced level of ITS and com-munication systems, present the opportunity to operatesmarter and more efficient services. Traffic volume in de-veloping countries is usually lower, and infrastructureless evolved when compared to developed countries.

Consequently, congestion levels are not necessarily lowerand resultant pollution, specifically in urban areas, is a si-gnificant concern. Developing countries are usually in aphase of infrastructure deployment. The cost of techno-logy is limited when compared to the cost of civil engi-neering work. This situation presents an important op-portunity for building state-of-the-art infrastructure andimplementing all necessary equipment. In both cases,high levels of traffic congestion can cause a reduction ineconomic activities and the augmentation of transportcosts, which strongly affects the local economy. In thiseventuality there is a critical need to conduct researchinto safety, security, quality control and efficiency.

delay the displacement of people or goods inthe case of unavailable road capacity, prevent-ing major queuing and lowering the risk ofpossible consequent uncomfortable and unsafedriving conditions.

(d) To monitor the correct use of the road, alertingthe driver or regulating their behaviour if in-appropriate actions occur.

The study of transport system safety focuses on anumber of factors, including the following:(a) The human factor: ability, psychological and

physical conditions and behaviour.(b) The vehicle or means of transport:

• Grip between tyres and road.• Running performance (acceleration,

braking or headway, stability).• Mechanical features of the structure

(vehicle shell, equipment).(c) Infrastructure: structural parameters (surface,

slope, elevation in curve, cross-section), safetyequipment (roadside barriers, lighting), avail-ability of facilities (toll barriers, service areas),current traffic levels and environmental con-ditions (humidity, frost, fog, blinding sunlight)- environmental factors that typically influencethe grip and stability of the vehicle or the clar-ity of the driver’s field of vision. Traffic canalso distract the attention of the driver andcreate misperception and miscalculation ofthe relative movements of other vehicles.

When an event changes current driving conditionsthe response of the vehicle is dictated by boththe driver (whose response depends on their in-dividual attributes and various other conditionsaffecting them) and by the vehicle (the responseof which is influenced by design criteria, mainte-nance levels, grip and environmental conditions).If an event that alters current conditions occurs,an accident during transportation usually tran-

spires when the overall system (driver/car) is re-quired to respond with a faster reaction time thanis possible.It appears clear - as in the case of all objects withthe potential to be dangerous - that it is possiblefor drivers to raise their own awareness levels ofthe risks associated with the inappropriate use ofa vehicle (sense of responsibility).Therefore, the leading principle of road safety iscareful or cautious driving accompanied by com-pliance with the rules of the road and by the ap-propriate psychological and physical conditionsfor driving.The role of engineering, including ITS, is to preventthe occurrence of accidents (i.e. through traffic in-formation systems and road design) or to be ableto smooth the consequences of errors and be ca-pable of studying and determining the causes ofproblems in order to facilitate a continuous processof safety improvement.Cars and other means of road transport were cre-ated to meet one of the primary needs of mankind:communication by displacement. When a vehicleis no longer used for such a primary purpose, whenbasic prerequisites of road use are not met andthere is a misperception of the hazard, then riskconditions normally arise. Human behaviour isrecognised worldwide as the No. 1 factor influenc-ing road safety(27), being fully or partially respon-sible for 93-95 per cent of accidents(28). It is a factthat man is not a machine designed for driving.Drivers are the main target of ITS through theprovision of information and alerts. The perform-ance of drivers in terms of safety can be greatlyimproved thanks to real-time information, warn-ings and automatic sanctions brought on by im-proper driving behaviour. ITS operate primarilyto better road safety, aiming to give rise to thebest possible cost/benefit ratio.


(27) “Recommendations of the Group of Experts on Safety in Road Tunnels”, p 21, drafted by the UNECE ad hoc Multidisciplinary Group of Expertson Safety in Tunnels (available from www.unece.org/trans/doc/2002/ac7/TRANS-AC7-09e.pdf)

(28) PIARC “Road safety manual 2003”, p 47, or “Recommendation of the Group of Experts on Safety in Road Tunnels”, drafted by the UNECE adhoc Multidisciplinary Group of Experts on Safety in Tunnels (available from www.unece.org/trans/doc/2002/ac7/TRANS-AC7-09e.pdf)

34

4. Evolution

of the operation

with the

involvement

of ITS

Intelligent Transport Systems involve a widerange of technological and organizational sys-tems, applications and services. The authors

know that it is not possible to give a full overviewof ITS. This chapter shall provide some highlightsof a few typical cases.

3.4.1 Roadside contribution to thesafety of transport: the role of ITS

ITS has a direct impact on road activity and conse-quently represent a tool for the improvement oftraffic efficiency and safety.Roadside equipment and related value-added serv-ices performed by road operators represent a sig-nificant contribution to a modern state-of-the-artway of operating roads. Figure 4 demonstrates the evolution of ITS opera-tion. In the past, road operators always performedthe surveillance of roads themselves; now they canhave remote monitoring and automatic incidentdetection-technologies that are making operatorsmore vigilant and faster to respond. Operators oftoll motorways can now perform electronic tollcollection using systems that automatically recog-nise each individual user, avoiding time- and en-ergy-consuming transactions.

Roadside ITS In summary, we can observe that at the process le-vel, by passing from the traditional approach to thetechnological approach the operator can achievean increased level of efficiency and gain an enhan-ced capability to act in terms of time and resourcemanagement. Roadside ITS is a tool that helps toscale down the processes that authorities and ope-rators handle in order to perform traditional servicesin a more efficient way. What’s new, is that ITS allowsthe operation of new services that were not pre-viously possible. In a way it can be said that whileoperators used to handle traffic in the past, they arenow increasingly handling individual cars and users.

Applying of these measures and services presentsthe opportunity to facilitate rapid response meas-ures, mainly when dangerous situations occursuddenly or when an irregular situation is knownin advance. Many accidents occur because thesystem (driver/vehicle) requires more time to

avoid collision. Several technological solutionsare the disposal of the driver or have been pro-posed for increasing the amount of reaction timethat a driver has to react to emergencies or roadaccidents. These include radio channels and datasystems, Variable Message Signs (VMS), blinkingroadside markers and, in the future, on-board di-rect messages. Such technologies aim to reducethe perception-reaction time of a driver, therebyincreasing safety time, the time available for theuser to safely drive the car.There are also other ITS technologies that allowfor better monitoring of traffic and weather condi-tions on motorways, faster response times to emer-gencies and easier communication between oper-ators of contiguous roads and networks.Below are some examples from the roadside tech-nology “family”.

Traffic Control CentreTraffic Control Centres (TCC) are the cornerstoneof road activity operations. Modern TCCs receiveand circulate multimedia information (data, radio,telephone and video signals) on the status ofroads and traffic. TCCs pave the way for the state-of-the-art operation of roads, collecting variousdata concerning meteorological and other envi-ronmental conditions (i.e. pollution inside roadtunnels). The efficiency of TCCs assures the cor-rect flow of information to and from differentstakeholders (traffic police, authorities, etc.)which in turn contributes to timely and appropri-ate decisions during the operational phase.Most TCCs are operated around the clock by one ormore agents. The TCC agents continuously monitorall technological facilities, such as the video images

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3.4 A short outlook on ITS

from traffic monitoring cameras located at criticalintersections and throughout road networks.Obstructions, accidents and other incidents aredetected by either the TCC agent, the technolog-ical systems operator or through reports fromtraffic police, the road operator’s agents or roadusers.In responding to real-time events and the resultingoverall scenario, the TCC agent can activate:• Contingency plans (activating all competent

authorities, measures and services for manag-ing traffic safety and handling accidents orother abnormal events).

• Traffic management plans (activating, in co-operation with the competent authorities atregional level, all measures necessary for man-aging traffic, minimising congestion and de-lays, and optimizing the use of the availableinfrastructure).

• Remedial plans (activating maintenance crewsto restore infrastructure and, if necessary,bring in contractors).

In some cases TCC agents have the option to di-rectly intervene at the scene of the event: i.e. bydelivering information to users through VMS, re-motely controlling traffic lights, changing the ven-tilation in tunnels or controlling other localisedequipment.

The main objectives of TCCs are to:• Collect all useful information and conse-

quently activate all pertinent internal and ex-ternal services.

• Provide accurate real-time traffic informationto the public, using a variety of different media.

• Utilise all available information to promotethe safety of traffic, ensure the safety of theroad operator’s agents on the road and quicklyperform the actions defined in the operator’smanual of procedures in order to minimise thecongestion caused by accidents, road worksand other events.

Traffic Information CentresTraffic Information Centres (TIC) are operationalcentres managed either by road authorities or roadoperators. TICs are charged with collecting real-time information and checking, validating, and dif-fusing it to the general public through all possiblemedia outlets (radio, TV, call centres, internet etc.).The collection and coordination of information isparticularly important because information can ar-rive from various sources (although usually fromroad police and road operators). The collectionand distribution process involves many differentpartners at regional or national level. The task fac-ing TICs also largely consists of managing and pro-


6

5. Examples of

Traffic Control

Centres

(Autostrada dei

Fiori and SATAP

- Italy)

6. Examples

of Traffic

Information

Centres

(DGT - Spain,

ASPI - Italy)

7. Video camera

for traffic

monitoring

with images

transmitted onto

TCC’s video wall

5

cessing the information and maintaining propercommunication contacts with all involved parties.Information is collected according to specific stan-dards and the centre’s multimedia products arecreated in real-time in order to be broadcasted viaradio, television or web-based platforms.

MonitoringIn order to continuously monitor motorway condi-tions, road operators install detectors capable of col-lecting information on the operation’s main pointsof interest: traffic, weather and environmental mon-itoring. The video monitoring system for road trafficis a network composed of remotely operated ClosedCircuit Television (CCTV) cameras. Using the videomonitoring system, the TCC agents have access tocontinuous video footage that allows them to monitorthe flow of traffic and to immediately check specificsections of the network when automatic alerts aregenerated from ITS, or when a warning is issued byagents on the road or users who have asked for help.

Benefits of video monitoring for traffic Video monitoring allows TCC agents to detect irregularcirculation or perform fast checks on the validity of areceived alarm or warning. Consequently, an agent caninitiate an early activation of the appropriate contin-gency plan and can issue early alerts to the operator’semergency staff as well as an early alert to the relatedemergency services. The overall reaction time of theprocess is made far faster by the use of video monito-ring, which is essential in the case of dangerous events.In this way, delays in intervention are reduced and safetyis improved while energy and transport efficiency ispromoted through the reduction of queues.

In order to achieve the best possible assessmentof traffic circulation, a TCC can also benefit froma numerical count given by traffic detection sys-tems made up of sensors. These sensors use vari-ous technologies inductive loops placed under theroad surface, radar sensors, “cooperative” vehicle-mounted units, etc.); and are designed to performthe real-time, precise monitoring of vehicles interms of traffic volumes and types of vehicle intransit. Data is collected, registered and computedby local units that transmit the information to theTCC. In doing so, the TCC is able to perform real-time traffic management according to current traf-fic volumes.Weather monitoring devices can either be standardhigh-accuracy sensors for gauging the mainweather conditions of interest (wind speed and di-rection, precipitation type and strength, etc.) orsensors specifically designed for the operation ofroads (such as sensors for estimating the currentcondition of road surfaces - dry, wet, icy, etc.).Monitoring performed with the various sensorsaids the smooth operation of road networksthrough the best possible use of roadside techno-logical equipment (local photometers are used forthe control of road lighting, air quality sensors areused for the control of tunnel ventilation equip-ment, etc.).

Variable Message SignsVariable Message Signs (VMS) are electronic trafficsigns that allow the TCC to distribute informationconcerning particular events in a timely fashion.Such signs can warn of traffic congestion, accidentsand incidents, roadworks or speed limits on a spe-cific highway segment. In urban areas, VMS are in-corporated into parking guidance and information

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systems to guide drivers to available car parkingspaces. Variable Message Signs allow the road op-erator to immediately reach users in transit on aspecific section of road, making it possible for ac-cidents that could occur as a result of any knownincidents to be prevented. Variable Message Signscan also advise users on the best route to take in agiven situation.

Automatic Incident DetectionAutomatic Incident Detection (AID) systems areused to detect vehicles that have come to a stop,vehicles that are slowing down or pedestrians thatare in locations that are off-limits. In general, anyanomaly present on the network can be quicklydetected so as to prevent or at least mitigate anypotential adverse effects. Automatic Incident De-tection systems constantly analyse road footagecaptured by cameras. The software is able to dis-cern whether or not an object is a vehicle, and isconsequently able to estimate its speed. When ve-hicles slow down, stop or when a “ghost driver”(somebody going the wrong way) appears on thefootage, an automatic alarm is generated for theattention of the TCC agent. The software can alsoidentify pedestrians that are in the wrong placeand debris lost from vehicles on the road surface.The system helps agents to properly monitor ahigher number of cameras. Technical problems inthe software or in the installation can cause thesystem to produce false alarms that can underminethe confidence that TCC agents have in the systemif they appear too frequently.

ITS in tunnelsA number of different ITS technologies can be de-ployed to improve the operation of road tunnels.At EU level, ITS is defined among the differentprovisions included in the Minimum Safety Re-

quirements for Tunnels in the Trans-EuropeanRoad Network that the European institutions de-fined in adopting directive 2004/54/EC. Accordingto the directive, tunnels longer than 500 m needspecific safety measures that have been identifiedin this common European approach. Several ITStechnologies are prescribed, under specific con-ditions, by the technical annexes of the directive(i.e. video cameras, VMS at gates, emergency tele-phones etc.). In the case of standard operations,tunnels are normally safer than other road sec-tions, but the confined environment can exacer-bate the consequences of a major accident (i.e.those involving fire, dangerous goods).

ITS in the event of tunnel accidentsThe physical phenomena resulting from major tunnelaccidents evolve very fast and can rapidly cause peo-ple great harm. The time-saving automation achieva-ble through ITS could be helpful, if not vital, in specificcases.

Radio ChannelsIn the field of radio communications in ITS thereare both radio channels that provide informationto road users and radio channels used for servicecommunications purposes.Information regarding traffic and traffic-relatedevents collected by TCCs can be provided to usersthrough radio channels, thanks to:• Specific agreements among road operators

and conventional radio broadcasters.• Information broadcasted by TICs.• Other service providers.The service is made possible - and maintains a rea-sonably consistent quality - through the deploymentof a number of pieces of equipment dispersed along


8. VMS for lane

management

(left - ring road

of Venice) and

for traffic

information

(right - near

Imperia)

9. Equipment for

the broadcasting

of isofrequency

traffic channel

and bulletins

from the

National Italian

Traffic

Information

Centre (CCISS)

10. Road

accident

8

motorways, all broadcasting at the same frequency(i.e. 103.3 MHz in Italy, 107.7 MHz in France, etc.).This roadside equipment allows users to benefitfrom traffic channels and keep up to date on trafficconditions and accidents without changing theirradio frequency along their journey.In order to implement this system, the networkneeds:• Numerous road-side installations (placed at

varying distances apart, depending on the layof the land).

• Fibre-optic signal distribution of the previouslymodulated signal to the broadcasting equip-ment.

• The use of leaking cables all along tunnels inorder to broadcast in confined spaces.

The information is distributed through voice anddata services. The Radio Data System (RDS) is acommunication protocol standard for embeddingsmall amounts of digital information in conventionalFM radio broadcasts. The Radio Broadcast DataSystem (RBDS) is the official name given to the U.S.version of RDS. The RDS system standardises sev-eral types of transmitted information, including time,station identification and programme information.The Traffic Message Channel (TMC) is digitally en-coded with traffic information using this system.This is also often available in automotive navigationsystems.

The TMC may be broadcast through either RDS orDigital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), but most com-monly (because of the large bandwidth) it is distrib-uted through Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB). The radio channel reserved for service communi-cation allows interaction between road agents andthe operational centres of all actors cooperatingon road operations (i.e. the road operator, trafficpolice, fire department, ambulance, etc.). For se-curity reasons, each actor normally caters for its

own independent radio channel and cross-commu-nication is provided by TCCs and other operationalcentres.

Roadside equipment for speed enforcementIntelligent Transport Systems are implemented toimprove overall levels of safety and efficiency. Inmost cases communication with the driver is themain aim of ITS applications or services, and some-times ITS is used to improve the effectiveness ofenforcement when traffic violations occur. Accord-ing to an estimate made by Italian traffic police(29),high-speed driving is either the main cause or oneof the leading factors in approximately 60% of allroad fatalities.

Traffic police officers all over the world use radaror other technological systems to measure drivers’speed, and if necessary enforce the law when speedlimits are exceeded. Nowadays, video cameras andother pieces of fixed equipment are increasinglyable to perform related functions in a semi-auto-mated way. For example, a system(30) that is ableto detect the average speed of vehicles travellingon monitored sections of road (sections in therange of 10-25 km in length) in any weather condi-tion has been implemented on Italian motorways. The system records the number plates of vehiclesin two consecutive locations at each end of a mon-itored stretch of road. The first piece of equipmentautomatically detects and registers the plate num-bers of all passing vehicles; the next piece of equip-ment, at the end of the monitored section, againlogs all vehicles that pass through its field of vision.The exchange of information between the two de-vices allows an immediate calculation, in real time,of the average speed maintained by the driver whilepassing through the allotted section. If the result

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(29) http://poliziadistato.it/articolo/51-Tutor

(30) The system was activated in 2005 on the Autostrade per l’Italia motorway network and is operated by the Italian traffic police. Users know thissystem as “Tutor”, a name alluding to the tutorial role of enforcement

39

9

10

is lower than the maximum speed limit for the sec-tion then the data is deleted. Otherwise the imagesare made available to the traffic police for enforce-ment procedures.The aim of roadside enforcement is not only topunish road traffic infringements, but also to helppersuade drivers maintain a constant speed whilsttravelling, making the flow of traffic more homo-geneous and therefore safer.According to data collected by traffic police andmotorway operators, it has been estimated that thepositive effects of ITS implementation have re-sulted in a 51% decrease in fatalities, a 27% reduc-tion in accidents resulting in casualties and an over-all fall of 19% in accidents of all kinds(31).

Re-routing of traffic in case of eventspreventing the standard operation of roadsTraffic re-routing eases the level of disruptioncaused by certain events on identified stretches ofroad (i.e. accidents, bad weather conditions) byproviding road users with information on alterna-tive routes. Re-routing brings about direct benefitssuch as reduced driving time but also results inlower operating costs and decreased environmentalimpact. More specifically, the level of benefits de-rived from re-routing depends on the length of thepossible alternative routes, on the capability of theroad operator to deliver relevant information tousers, and in the case of longer detours, on theflexibility of the traffic demand.

In addition, there are also non-quantifiable benefitsderivable from such a service. These include betteraccident information and better and more consistenttraveller information that in turn leads to the im-proved movement of traffic across a region. In termsof organisational cooperation, the benefits includeimproved working relations between the various au-thorities and traffic operators in the affected regions.The necessity of developing a solid knowledgebase of pre-defined strategies and an acceptableframework for the activation/de-activation of var-ious measures - based on the assessment of needsand resources - is another essential element forthe success of re-routing traffic. Considering thehigh number of co-operating authorities and op-erators, the wide range of events and the com-plexity of the subjects, specific traffic manage-ment plans are usually drafted in advance in orderto establish a predefined coordination plan of thenecessary actions that should be taken in theevent of an accident.

Contingency plans/emergency plansIntelligent Transport Systems are invaluable forthe organisation of available technical and non-technical resources. The same principle applies tomore than just traffic management plans. Contin-


(31) Data from www.autostrade.it/assistenza-al-traffico/tutor.html

40

13

11. Equipment

for speed

enforcement on

Italian

motorways

(ASPI)

12. Winter

maintenance

operation in

snow (SALT)

13. Application

of a traffic

management plan

(flow-chart)

14. Contingency

communication

process adopted

by Italian

authorities and

road operators

of ASTM/SIAS

group

15. Web-based

pre-trip

information

services, (top,

left: weather

information;

right: traffic

webcams)

11 12

gency plans coordinate the joint management ofthe different organizations(32) that shoulder the re-sponsibility of returning the situation back to nor-mal after a road accident or incident in the mini-mum amount of time, at the minimum possible costand with the minimum disruption to traffic. Thisrequires careful preparation and planning. The clearidentification of a chain of responsibility and com-munication strategies essential to the operationare key factors in the planning process.Intelligent Transport Systems technology needs tobe integrated into the process in order to makeconnections fast and reliable and facilitate directaction from TCCs.

Pre-trip traffic information systemsThe objective of pre-trip information is to make

drivers aware of the traffic situation and travelconditions so they can assess their travel options.Using this information a person can assess theirroute, mode of transport, departure time or evendecide on whether or not to make the journey. Advanced travel information systems can en-hance pre-trip travel information by providingmore detailed contents through different typesof media.Traditional pre-trip traffic information targets abroad audience, primarily through radio, whichmeans that the information is usually not suffi-ciently detailed to serve trip-planning purposes,except in the case of major events. Other systems (i.e. web-based platforms) provideusers with detailed data on traffic and meteoro-logical conditions and stream traffic webcams.

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(32) Services involved include road police, emergency medical services, fire brigade, etc.

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15

3.4.2 Passive, active and preventivesafety for vehicles: the role of on-board Information andCommunication Technologies

To understand our future, we must study the past.Below is a list of the major developments thathave shaped the evolution of motor vehicle safety:(a) Restraint systems (from around 1960-1975)(33):

this period saw the introduction of crashworthysystems and devices to prevent or reduce theseverity of injuries when a crash is imminentor actually happening (passive safety). The firstsystems were restraint systems such as safety-belts, and later air-bags, to limit the forwardmotion of an occupant, stretch to improve theoccupant's deceleration and prevent occupantsfrom being ejected from the vehicle.

(b) Bio-mechanical criteria (from around 1975-1990): in order to better protect occupants inthe event of impact, crash test dummies wereintroduced as tools to aid vehicle design. Theseare full-scale Anthropomorphic Test Devices(ATD) that simulate the dimensions, weightand articulation of the human body, and areusually equipped with instruments that recorddata about the dynamic behavior of the ATDin simulated vehicle impacts. Biomechanicalcriteria were identified in order to simulateinjuries using the dummies.

(c) Other protection (starting around 1995): vehi-cles started to be designed to take into accountthe protection of vulnerable road users (cy-clists, pedestrians). Moreover, crash compati-bility concepts were integrated into vehicledesign in order to reduce the tendency of somevehicles to inflict more damage on another ve-hicle (the “crash partner vehicle”) in two-carcrash scenarios such as crashes between SportUtility Vehicles (SUV) and city cars.

(d) Holistic approach (starting recently), incorporat-ing the need to consider additional factors con-cerning elements other than the vehicle itself:• Traffic infrastructure and control.• Citizen training.• Information provided to drivers

(through ITS and relevant technical standards).

• Checks on the use of alcohol and drugs.• The social cost of accidents.• Integrated transport systems, including

information and communication technologies, assisting driving.

Today’s vehicle design criteria have progressed past

simple measures such as safety belts, headrestsand air bags. Modern safety concepts include: (a) Active safety: provides the driver enhanced

control of the vehicle, thus decreasing the like-lihood of accidents. This kind of techniqueprovides the vehicle with a dynamic capabilityto adapt to extreme conditions (i.e. betterroad-holding, braking capacity, manoeuvrabil-ity on low grip surfaces, resistance to tilting,etc.). Two examples of active safety systemsare Electronic Stability Control (ESC) for pas-senger vehicles and Electronic Vehicle Stabil-ity Control (EVSC) for heavy-duty vehicles.The implementation of crash avoidance sys-tems may be the next big step.

(b) Passive safety (i.e. systems to enhance crash-worthiness): systems and devices to preventor reduce the severity of injuries when a crashis imminent or actually happening. Much re-search is carried out using anthropomorphiccrash test dummies. Most of these systems arerestraint systems (safety belts, air bags, pre-tensioners etc.), although crumple zones alsofall into this category. Crumple zones are struc-tural features designed to compact during anaccident to absorb energy from the impact.Typically, crumple zones are located in thefront part of the vehicle in order to absorb theimpact of a head-on collision, though they maybe found on other parts of the vehicle as well.

Other important safety aspects include attempts topromote concentration and comfort for drivers, andany other methods that support drivers and keepthem informed of running conditions and potentialhazards. Another emerging concept concerns thepossibility that drivers could provide emergency serv-ices with accurate and reliable information on thelocation and nature of accidents to enhance responsetimes. This function can be facilitated through capa-bilities that communicate between vehicles and sys-tems, as well as between vehicles and infrastructure,thanks to positioning devices based on satellite nav-igation technology.Safety devices or systems that are now widely usedin new car designs include:• ABS (Anti-lock Braking System).• ESC (Electronic Stability Control), EVSC

(Electronic Vehicle Stability Control).• DBC (Dynamic Brake Control).• TCS (Traction Control System).• EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution).• BAS (Brake Assist Systems).• AEBS (Automatic Emergency Braking Systems).There are other active safety systems that are less


(33) Technical standards relevant to structural design and motor vehicle equipment

42

16. Car accident

well known or still in the testing stage. These include: • Anti-collision systems such as Forward Colli-

sion Warning Systems (FCWS).• Systems that communicate the existence of

hazards and obstacles.• Lane Departure Warning Systems (LDWS).• Systems that detect the condition of the driver

or perform the automatic correction of drivingerrors.

It is indisputable that a significant number of roadaccidents involving casualties occur in poor visibility,normally at night or to a lesser extent in foggy con-ditions. Different types of sensors are - or can be -used to obtain information about objects in the vicin-ity of the vehicle. The most frequently used tech-nologies in the automotive industry that serve thispurpose are:• Ultrasound sensors.• Infrared sensors.• Radar.• LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging - an optical

remote-sensing technology that measures theproperties of scattered light to find range and/orother information about a distant target).

• Artificial vision.Every type of sensor operates in a different rangeof frequencies in the electro-magnetic spectrum(apart from ultra-sound sensors). Every sensorsupplies information on the space around a vehi-cle and a combination of different sensors andtechnologies might provide better results than us-ing each technology indipendently.To be widely deployed, these on-board devices - aswell as other ITS technologies - must be beneficialinvestments that meet user needs. For this reason,a concept that needs to be considered is Cost-Ben-efit Analysis (CBA/BCA) to provide an analysis ofthe return on investment for on-board safety sys-tems for the motory industry. Cost-Benefit Analysiscan define and quantify key financial metrics, suchas returns on investments and payback periods.For these analysis, the potential benefits in termsof cost avoidance in relation to crashes can bemeasured against the purchase installation and op-erational costs of the technology.Other industry stakeholders such as insurance com-panies, vendors and risk managers can equally ap-ply the calculations to their own internal assess-ments and programs.Public bodies can also perform their own CBA. Ifthe analysis shows that the assessed equipment ispotentially increases safety levels or results in anyother public benefits, legal instruments can be ac-tivated that overshoot the results of any sectoral

cost-benefit analyses.Cost-Benefit Analysis can define and quantify keyfinancial metrics such as returns on investmentsand payback periods. For these analyses, the po-tential benefits, in terms of cost avoidance in relationto crashes, can be measured against the purchase,installation and operational costs of the technology.Other than being used to estimate the average an-nual numbers of preventable crashes, crash datacan be the basis for estimating the costs of the dif-ferent types of crashes involving Property DamageOnly (PDO), injuries and/or fatalities.Primary data for calculating benefits and crash costscan be garnered from information provided by in-surance companies, motor carriers and legal experts.Crash costs include(34):• Labour costs.• Worker’s compensation costs.• Operational costs.• Property damage and auto-liability costs.• Environmental costs.• Legal costs.A measure of crash cost avoidance can be calcu-lated using the number of incidents that each tech-nology is estimated to prevent annually per VehicleMiles Travelled (VMT).

Some brief descriptions of certain ITS applicationsare listed below:

Digital tachographThe tachograph is a device that combines the func-tions of a clock and a speedometer. Fitted into a mo-tor vehicle, a tachograph records the time frame ofa vehicle’s use, i.e. the vehicle’s speed and whetherit is moving or stationary.European Economic Community (EEC) regulation3821/85 from 20 December 1985 made the tacho-graph mandatory throughout the EEC. A “Euro-

pean Agreement concerning the Work of Crews of

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(34) Technical brief of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (available from www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/research-technology/tech/09-

023-TB-Onboard-Safety-Systems-508.pdf)

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16

Vehicles engaged in International Road Trans-

port” (AETR) was signed in Geneva on 1 July 1970.The current version was updated in 2006(35).European directive 22/2006/EC sets out new rulesfor regulating the hours of drivers engaged in thetransportation of goods and passengers. It providescommon methods for undertaking roadside checks,as well as checks at the premises of transport op-erators. Moreover, it promotes mechanisms of co-operation between member States authorities incharge of road transport enforcement. Regulation561/2006/EC of the European Union adopted on 11April 2007 specified driving and rest times for pro-fessional drivers. These time periods can bechecked by the employers, police and other au-thorities with the help of the tachograph.The digital tachograph is a new, advanced piece ofrecording equipment, consisting of a digital vehicleunit and a personal driver card. This new equip-ment has been designed in such a way that the dig-ital tachograph itself can be considered to be the“memory” of the vehicle in which it is fitted, whilstthe driver card can be considered the “memory” ofthe activities performed by the driver.The introduction - in all newly registered vehicles(trucks weighing more than 3.5 tonnes and busescapable of carrying more than nine people) - of thedigital tachograph has the sole aim of improvingthe comfort and working conditions of the driverand enhancing road safety through better enforce-

ment. This prevents any discrimination in transportacross the whole AETR region, thus representinga positive development for all Contracting Partiesand road transport companies. The use of the digital tachograph requires the im-plementation of sophisticated infrastructure, spe-cific interoperable databases and complex securitypolicies at national level. Well-developed commu-nication interfaces between AETR countries alsoneed to be established. These are necessary to al-low the efficient, harmonised and secure function-ing of the digital tachograph system.

Location-based informationLocation-based information services allow the driverto find the nearest business of a certain type, likethe next fuelling station, Automated Teller Machine,accommodation or restaurants available in the im-mediate vicinity. The driver might also have the op-tion of receiving certain types of location-based in-formation such as traffic updates, local points ofinterest or localised advertisements. To prevent thepotential misuse of the system, the secure authenti-cation and authorization of all incoming messages isneeded. Outgoing transmissions also require ade-quate protection to ensure the driver’s privacy.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) andElectronic Vehicle Stability Control (EVSC)Although various systems for vehicle stability con-trol are currently available from many differentcompanies, their functions and performances areall similar. These systems use a computer to controlthe braking of individual wheels to help the drivermaintain control of the vehicle during extreme ma-noeuvres. Using these systems, it is possible tokeep the vehicle headed in the direction in whichthe driver is steering even when the vehicle reachesthe limits of its road traction abilities. A stability control system maintains “yaw” (or head-ing) control by comparing the driver’s intendedheading with the vehicle’s actual response, and au-tomatically turning the vehicle if its response doesnot match the driver’s intention. However, with astability control system, turning is accomplishedby applying counter torques from the braking sys-tem rather than from steering input. Speed andsteering angle are used to determine the driver’sintended heading.The vehicle’s response is determined in terms oflateral acceleration and yaw rate by onboard sen-sors. If the vehicle is responding in a manner cor-responding to driver input, the yaw rate will be inbalance with the speed and lateral acceleration(38).


(35) The consolidated text, version 2006, document ECE/TRANS/SC.1/2006/2 is available on www.unece.org/trans/main/sc1/sc1aetr.html

(36) Images from www.unece.org/trans/doc/2006/sc1aetr/Pres3Kelly.pdf

(37) www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29/ECE-TRANS-WP29-2008-69e.doc

(38) Other information can be found from the work of UNECE Working Party on Brakes and Running Gear (GRRF) onwww.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29/ECE-TRANS-WP29-2008-69e.doc

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17

17. Digital

Tachograph(36)

18. Stability

control

intervention for

understeer and

oversteer(37)

19. Concept

of warning

thresholds and

warning

threshold

placement

zones(39)

20. Example of

warning systems

for blind spot

detection(40)

Tachograph Card

Data encrypted on the chipset

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems(ADAS)Advanced Driver Assistance Systems represent awide range of systems designed to help the driver,making the driving process safer and more efficient.When designed with a safe Human-Machine Inter-face (HMI) they should improve car safety and roadsafety in general. Examples of such systems in-clude: adaptive cruise control; adaptive light con-trol; automatic parking; blind spot detection; colli-sion avoidance system (pre-crash system); driverdrowsiness detection; intelligent speed adaptationor intelligent speed advice; in-vehicle navigationsystems (typically GPS and TMC for providing up-to-date traffic information); lane change assistance;lane departure warning systems; night vision;pedestrian protection systems; traffic sign recog-nition etc.The first application from the above list is a systemused for the automatic control of speed. Using adistance gauge, either radar or laser, the vehicle isable to perceive the presence of another vehicleimmediately ahead of it in the same lane. If the other vehicle is moving at a slower rate, theon-board system aids deceleration, adapting to thespeed of the vehicle in front. This function is calledAdaptive Cruise Control (ACC).In the lateral control of the vehicle, sensor sys-

tems based on cameras may help the driver tostay in lane. An acoustic or tactile signal (i.e. vi-bration of the steering wheel) is generated whenthe system detects that the vehicle is about to di-vert from the lane. Research is also being con-ducted into systems that provide automatic steer-ing control (lane keeping). In any case, carmanufacturers are very cautious of this function,as it could be interpreted not as a support system,but as the actual automated driving of a vehicle,which in turn could produce unintended drivercarelessness.Other examples of driving support functions avail-able on the market or at an advanced stage of de-velopment are:• Night vision: infra-red cameras enable the

driver to have better perception in conditionsof low visibility, such as at night and in fog.

• Blind spot detection: rear-view mirrors are af-fected by the blind angle a side area the drivercannot see unless they turn their head. A cam-era and an electronic image processing unitcould serve as a vital warning system to alertdrivers to a vehicle overtaking them.

• Parking manoeuvre support: parking sensorsare already widespread on many vehicles. Fur-thermore, some vehicles have recently beenequipped with a function that detects the spacebetween two vehicles and - if sufficient - aidsmanoeuvring by guiding the steering wheel.

In ADAS, both warnings and controls play an im-portant role in safety enhancement. Effectivewarnings have the potential to compensate for

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(39) www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29grrf/ECE-TRANS-WP29-GRRF-S08-inf09e.ppt

(40) Image from www.unece.org/trans/doc/2007/wp29/ITS-15-05e.pdf

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18

19

20

3.4.3 Cooperative technologiesThe idea of cooperative systems is to have vehiclesconnected via continuous wireless communicationwith the road infrastructure on motorways (andpossibly other roads), and to “exchange data andinformation relevant for the specific road segmentto increase overall road safety and enable cooper-ative traffic management”(43).The basic innovation of cooperative systems is thatintelligent transport tools, both in infrastructureand on vehicles, are active and “cooperate” in orderto perform a common service. Consequently, in co-operative systems, communication can be Vehicle

to Vehicle (V2V) or Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I). (a) Vehicle to Vehicle communication: can be de-

fined as the cooperative exchange of data be-tween vehicles through wireless technologyin a range that varies between a few meters toa few hundred meters, with the aim of improv-ing road safety, mobility, efficiency and im-proving the use of road capacity.

(b) Vehicle to Infrastructure communication: canbe defined as wireless cooperative interaction,between vehicles and infrastructure, based onsystems that can improve safety and perform-ance on roads.


(41) www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29/ITS-16-03e.pdf

(42) Image from http://w1.siemens.com/press/en/pp_cc/2007/02_feb/sosep200702_27_(mt_special_mobility)_1434304.htm

(43) www.coopers-ip.eu

46

driver limitations, helping to prevent road acci-dents. When dealing with humans, warnings andcontrol measures need to be carefully assessedin terms of frequency and priority. High-prioritywarning signals are communicated via human in-terface systems to promote awareness and timely,appropriate driver action in situations that presentpotential or immediate danger.There are typically three levels of warning prior-ity(41):1. Low-level: driver should take action within the

timeframe of 10 seconds to 2 minutes; may es-calate to a higher level if not acted upon.

2. Mid-level: requires action within the timeframeof 2 to 10 seconds; may escalate to high-levelwarning if not acted upon.

3. High-level: warning requires the driver to takeimmediate action within 2 seconds to avoid apotential crash.

These principles apply to “driver-in-the-loop” sys-tems that warn or provide drivers with support foravoiding crashes. This means that these principlesdo not apply to fully automated systems (i.e. ABS,ESC) or in-vehicle information and communicationsystems (i.e. navigation systems). They apply tosystems that require drivers to initiate one or moreof the following responses: • Immediate braking for crash evasion. • Immediate steering manoeuvre for crash eva-

sion. • Immediate termination of initiated action. • Seek awareness of situation and perform one

of the above responses. • Immediate decision to retake driver control. ADAS with high-priority warnings are: ForwardCollision Warning (FCW) systems, Lane DepartureWarning systems (LDW), Blind-Spot Warning(BSW) systems and back-up warning systems.

Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA)Another example of ADAS is Intelligent SpeedAdaptation (ISA), a system which uses informationand communication technology to provide speedlimit information on a vehicle’s dashboard. The typ-ical means of doing this is a through a digital roadmap; when the map is combined with current po-sition information from a GPS receiver, the ISAcan display the speed limit and a warning for thedriver. The same information can be linked to thevehicle’s engine management system to provide anintervening ISA (voluntary - may be overridden bydriver; mandatory - without the option to override).This kind of system could also be combined withtraffic sign recognition systems.

21

21. Example of

road sign

repetition on

vehicle

instrument panel

through visual

recognition of

the sign at the

edge of the

road(42)

22. VMS for

traffic control

and

communicating

information to

road users (A22

del Brennero)

23. On-board

instrument

panel, displaying

maximum

allowed speed,

alert messages

and information

relayed by

cooperative

systems

Vehicle to Infrastructure communication requiresthat vehicles are equipped with the technology nec-essary to transmit relevant data to the TCC of sur-rounding infrastructure where it is assessed andintegrated with other information and then sentback to the different vehicles in the nearby vicinityas useful and “more valuable” information.Taking this into consideration, it is evident that “in-telligent infrastructure” and the “intelligent vehicle”are preconditions for the development of coopera-tive systems. Intelligent infrastructure is mannedand equipped by technical and technological sys-tems and the overall measures adopted make itable to collect information, perform Infrastructureto Infrastructure (I2I) communication and deliveradvanced services to users.Cooperative systems are expected to make use ofstate-of-the-art communication facilities to allowthe driver access to all road and traffic information(i.e. information currently diffused through VMS)directly from the vehicle’s instrument panel.Some of the targets of cooperative systems, alongwith relevant examples, are as follows:(a) Comfort: cooperative systems improve pas-

senger comfort and the efficiency of traffic.Examples of this include: traffic informationsystems, delivery of weather forecasts and in-teractive communication such as access to in-ternet services.

(b) Safety: passenger safety is improved throughcooperative systems by enabling vehicles toreceive information transferred from the TCC(Infrastructure to Vehicle [I2V]) and exchangeit through V2V systems. The information canbe supplied directly to the driver or it can trig-ger an active on-board safety system. Exam-ples of this are: crossroad coordination, warn-ings for drivers breaching road regulations andinformation on road conditions. Some of theseapplications could call for direct V2V commu-nication due to the very local relevance of theinformation and the need to minimize delays.

(c) Efficiency: the use of cooperative systemscould help re-route traffic when events are dis-rupting traffic flow, optimizing the capacity ofthe road network and promoting efficiencynetwork. Cooperative systems also enableElectronic Toll Collection (ETC) systems,which prevent queuing at toll barriers.

(d) Capacity: cooperative systems promote thebetter use of road capacity by transmitting in-formation through V2V or V2I technology andensuring compliance with the minimum safetydistance between vehicles. Vehicle-to-Vehicle

applications have so far only been proposedand not tested in real conditions. It has yet tobe established whether or not they will be vi-able in the future, but at the moment they ap-pear to be promising. In order to operate inreal time, the delays detected must be minimaland the communication systems used must behighly reliable. In comparison, some V2I serv-ices already exist (i.e. ETC systems).

Some services can have an impact on multiple ob-jectives: for instance, ETC is a cooperative servicethat provides better comfort, better use of capacity,as well as enhanced safety (avoiding queues on tollplazas). ETC systems are the only cooperative sys-tems with bi-directional communication that haveso far reached an significant level of penetrationin several regional markets, with several million“On-Board Units”(44) (OBU) in circulation. ETC sys-tems make use of a V2I data exchange in order toperform toll collection transactions without vehi-cles having to stop.The most pressing issue in this field is the futureavailability of multipurpose on-board units for carsthat are able to integrate toll collection services

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(44) About 15 million On-Board Units in the European region (year 2008) - source ASECAP

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23

22

together with services for safety and user informa-tion in a single platform.Another example of V2I is the Yellow Signal Warn-ing System (YSWS). This system is aimed at reduc-ing accidents by helping drivers avoid hazardoussituations at crossroads controlled by traffic lights.The purpose of the system is to inform the driverwhen their vehicle is approaching a crossroadswith a speed in excess of the official limit. The sys-tem therefore contributes to the avoidance of traf-fic violations at crossroads and helps to mitigatethe effects of unavoidable collisions.

Automatic emergency call system Once an accident occurs, the timely transmissionof information related to the event to the appropri-ate services assumes vital importance. Thanks toGPS navigation devices and mobile communicationservices it is possible to install a specific electronicsafety system in cars that automatically contactsemergency services in the event of an accident.Information is transmitted to the TCC of the lo-calised infrastructure or to any other pertinent Pub-lic Safety Answering Point (PSAP), in order toarrange a speedy response from the necessary serv-ices (i.e. towing operators, traffic police, emergencymedical units, fire brigade). Even if the driver isunconscious, the system can use its on-board trans-mitters to inform rescue services of the vehicle’sexact whereabouts, reducing the overall reactiontime of the emergency services. In case of an emer-gency, the on-board automatic emergency call sys-tem can establish a voice connection directly to acall centre initiated either manually by vehicle oc-cupants or automatically via activation of in-vehiclesensors (i.e. synchronous with the activation of air-bags). At the same time, actual location, availableinformation on the event, or specific medical datawill be sent to the same PSAP operator receivingthe voice call.The in-vehicle unit needs to be suitably protectedand provided with an autonomous power supply.Examples of this service are already in placethrough private rescue stations and for specificgroups of users with particular requirements - forinstance, for the transportation of valuables. Tospread this service, all requisite standards willneed to be fully defined and several national agen-cies and operators will need to be committed tothe effort.Initiatives already exist in this direction (i.e. at EUlevel)(45). In particular, the confluence of all theemergency calls onto a single emergency numberhandling service (112 or 911) is being investigated

and technical and organizational solutions need tobe found in order to properly organise the service,integrating it into existing procedures. It is of crit-ical importance that all actors involved in the emer-gency response are immediately and simultane-ously activated (i.e. the medical services for thepertinent emergency, in additon to the operator incharge of the road section, the traffic police incharge of the area’s traffic management, etc.).

Electronic Toll Collection (ETC)Electronic Toll Collection, which allows the elec-tronic payment of toll fees on motorways or theimposition of specific road pricing in particular ur-ban areas, was one of the first cooperative ITSservices and today is considered a mature technol-ogy. This kind of technology cuts queues and delaysat toll stations and consequently avoids the pollu-tion that comes from “stop-and-go” traffic. ETCsystems take advantage of V2I communicationtechnologies to perform an electronic monetarytransaction between a vehicle/user that is passingthrough a toll station and the road operator or tollagency. Until now, this procedure most commonlyused Dedicated Short Range Communication(DSRC). More recently, GPS/GSM/DSRC technol-ogy was adopted in Germany.The roadside equipment checks all vehicles anddetects whether or not the cars that pass areequipped with on-board units. If vehicles are foundnot to be equipped with the necessary on-boardunit, then enforcement procedures are put into ac-tion (see point 4 below). Vehicles that have a validon-board unit are charged the appropriate amount(through the bank account of the contract owner)without the vehicle having to stop.Electronic Toll Collection systems require onboardunits and rely on four major components:(a) Automated vehicle identification: the process

of determining the identity of a vehicular entity


(45) See eCall initiative http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/index_en.htm

(46) www.asecap.com/english/documents/ASECAP_ENCHIFFRE_000.pdf

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24

24. Lanes

dedicated to

vehicles with

On-Board Units

for ETC on

Torino-Milan

Motorway

25. Penetration

of ETC

On-Board Units

in national

markets(46)

subject to the toll. The majority of current tollsystems detect and record the passage of ve-hicles through a limited number of toll gates.

(b) Automated vehicle classification: most toll fa-cilities charge different rates for differentclasses of vehicle, making it necessary to de-tect the class of vehicle passing through thetoll facility.

(c) Transaction processing: deals with maintainingcustomer accounts, processing toll transac-tions and customer payments to the right ac-counts and handling customer inquiries.

(d) Violation enforcement: useful in reducing thenumber of unpaid tolls - several methods, de-vices and patrol actions can be used to detertoll violators.

Electronic Toll Collection has several benefits:• Increased toll plaza capacity.• Reduction in waiting times.• Reduction in fuel consumption and pollutant

emissions by reducing or eliminating stop-and-go traffic.

• Reduction in toll collection costs and enhance-ment of audit control by centralizing user ac-counts.

• Possibility to implement congestion pricing bybreaking technical barriers: non-intrusive tollcollection requires much less infrastructure,automatic vehicle counting and classificationand automated accounting systems.

• Digital license plate recognition devices can ac-curately and efficiently identify toll violators.

Electronic Toll Collection also has its costs:• Installation and maintenance of V2I commu-

nication technologies, On-Board Units, vehicledetection and classification as well as enforce-ment technologies.

• Standardisation and technical interoperabilityof systems impose costs.

• Staff and resources devoted to enforcement.• Marketing and stakeholder involvement ef-

forts.Many countries operate ETC systems. While many

of them use similar technologies, few of them arecompatible at present. This leads to inefficienciesfor drivers who frequently travel on internationalitineraries.

Directive 2004/52/EC on ETCTo address such issues in Europe, the EuropeanCommission has already published a directive onETC, which emphasizes the need for the interope-rability of systems. Directive (2004/52/EC) proposesthe introduction of the European Electronic Toll Ser-vice (EETS) that makes it mandatory for fee collec-tion systems to use one or more of the followingtechnologies:

• Satellite positioning.• Mobile communications using GSM

and GPRS standards.• 5.8 GHz microwave technologies, or Dedicated

Short Range Communications (DSRC).Furthermore, such systems should be interoperableand based on open and public standards, available ona non-discriminatory basis to all system suppliers.

Fleet managementVehicles can be tracked from a TCC using GPS nav-igation devices together with communication fa-cilities and digital cartography. Traffic Control Cen-tre agents also have fast access to staff andresources that can be activated when it becomesnecessary to handle an event. The same applies tothe central control room of the traffic police andother emergency services. It’s not only the emer-gency services that need to monitor fleets. Fleetowners can also supervise their own vehicles. Inaddition to vehicle tracking, modern fleet manage-ment systems enable advanced functions such ascentrally managed routing and efficient dispatch,driver authentication, remote diagnosis while gath-ering details on current drivers’ status, mileage,fuel consumption or container status data.

Integration of Traffic Message Channel(TMC) into navigation devicesWhile mentioning V2I systems, particular attentionshould be given to the Traffic Message Channel(TMC). Through a digital radio channel, informa-tion related to traffic (concerning motorways andmain highways) and road conditions (such asqueues, accidents, fog and similar events) is con-tinuously broadcast. TMC information can be inte-grated with GPS navigation devices able to bothcapture the broadcast information and convey it

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25

3.4.4 ICT infrastructure and communication networks

Every ITS service depends on the availability of anInformation and Communication Technology (ICT)backbone and enabling systems that constitute thecore of ICT infrastructure, laying the foundation

for all services. For instance, no real-time videosystem can exist in the absence of suitable com-munications technology (i.e. fibre optics). Com-munication equipment underpins practically everyITS service. The success rate of implementing ITSis closely related to the availability of ICT infra-structure. The capability to deliver ITS servicesdoes not grow in a linear fashion with the aug-mentation of available technology. For most ITSservices a minimum critical mass is needed in or-der to perform a wide number of tasks. For ex-ample, real-time traffic monitoring is essential totraffic management services. This monitoring canbe performed by video cameras, although otherdevices are capable of performing this task. Thesame footage collected from these cameras can beused for other services - it can be published on theinternet for pre-trip information or can be used forautomatic incident detection.As we all know, the cost a service usually rises inproportion to its quality. The quality of a service canbe continuously upgraded but a minimum base levelneeds to be initially guaranteed in order to avoidgeneralised public mistrust towards the service.The cost of ICT infrastructure is relatively smallwhen compared to the cost of road infrastructureas a whole. This presents an opportunity for devel-oping countries that are currently building roads:when building new infrastructure they can opt di-rectly for state-of-the-art ICT equipment.Information systems are based on the exchange ofinformation between vehicles and roads, vehiclesand other vehicles, and vehicles and roads withpeople. ITS depend heavily on telecommunicationtechnologies and communications structures in or-der to provide useful services.Wireless communication technologies such as GSMand DSRC are used for extra-vehicular communi-


27

28

in a visual or acoustic manner. Once a destinationhas been established, the GPS navigation devicecan integrate TMC information and check whethersome critical roads are included in the route. Ifthis is the case, a warning can be delivered to thedriver and the GPS device can suggest a new routeavoiding the critical area. However, this applicationcan present problematic issues: a new route auto-matically computed or suggested by an independ-ent service provider could clash with differentrerouting strategies designated by competent au-thorities or road operators, creating an inefficienttraffic management scenario. 26

26. Traffic

Message Channel

27. Classification

of the

communication

process

28. Future

communication

systems

29. ITS in urban

transport(48)

Information Communications(large capacity)

VICS, ETC, car navigation, cameras, radar

Control Communications(high speed and high reliability)

ABS, steering ACC, electronicallycontrolled brakes

Gateway

Body Communications(low speed)

Window control, dashboard meters, key less entry

Source: Prepared by the Development: Bank of Japan from various materials.

(47) “ITS in urban transport: the challenges for the UNECE Transport Division”, Molnar, Alexopoulos (www.unece.org/trans/news/eurotransport2008-05.pdf)

(48) www.unece.org/trans/news/eurotransport2008-05.pdf

cations. For communications that link on-boardcomponents within a vehicle, cable harnesses areused. To minimize the number of wires, multiplexedcommunications are frequently employed. Thesenetworks types are classed as body, operation orinformation according to the purpose of the com-munications.

The requirements for each type are different andeach year in-vehicle communication becomes morecomplex. Regarding V2V communication, consor-tiums have already been established in Europe andthe United States, and now Japan is setting up itsown body to hasten the development of advanta-geous standards.

51

3.4.5 ITS in urban transport(47)

ITS applications can play an important role in trans-port, especially in more urban areas.In particular, they help in:(a) Improving traffic flow:• Signalised junction controls can improve traf-

fic flow and reduce air pollution.• Urban traffic management and control can en-

able police, local authorities and public trans-port operators to share information and helpdevelop a truly integrated and more efficienttransport system.

(b) Improving road safety:• Enforcement cameras deter speeding and dis-

courage traffic violations at traffic lights;• Intelligent traffic signals can increase the time

available for people crossing roads, where andwhen this is needed.

(c) Improving security and reducing crime:• Closed circuit television can deter crime and

improve response time to incidents;• Traffic information services can improve the

quality of information available to travellers.• VMS can provide information on current travel

conditions, the availability of parking spacesor real-time public transport information.

(d) Improving public transport:• Operators can improve their services by having

accurate information on the location andprogress of vehicles.

• Travellers can get up-to-date information fromthe appropriate websites.

(e) Improving freight efficiency:• Improved traffic flow and more accurate po-

sitioning information will result in faster andmore reliable movement of goods.

(f) Lessening environmental impact:• Reduced congestion, a more efficient trans-

port network together with better-informedtravellers and more sustainable transportchoices can help tackle climate change andreduce air pollution.

Receiving the right information at the right timeand in the right place is critical for successful urbanpublic transport, especially in a multimodal trans-port system. It is hard to imagine the existence offlexible and high-quality urban public transportwithout the deployment of ITS. The following usageof ITS in urban public transport is critical for im-proving standards:• Information prior to or during the journey on

urban public transport (WAP, SMS etc.).• Electronic displays showing the remaining

time before arrival should be installed in bus,train and tram stops and at stations.

• Electronic information desks for the retrievalof information on routes, ticket prices, timeta-bles, announcements on traffic conditions etc.

• On-board screens in urban public transportvehicles (vocally announcing stops, showingteletext and other information).

• Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs).• Electronic tickets, e-ticketing etc.• Security systems (security cameras etc.). • Electronic information signs such as illumi-

nated arrows, numbers, pictograms etc.• Other passenger information services (display-

ing vehicle location, walking distances be-tween stops, parking information etc.).

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Most of the considerations mentioned thusfar relate to the field of safety. It shouldalso be noted that security is a primary

concern in ITS. A matter of particular relevance isthe transport of dangerous goods, a case that goesbeyond companies’ private management effortssince it involves the safety of both traffic and thegeneral public.In the international context, the committee of ex-perts appointed by the United Nations SecretaryGeneral at the request of the Economic and SocialCouncil periodically draft the “Recommendations

on the Transport of Dangerous Goods”, which isto be applied to all modes of transport. These rec-ommendations are then incorporated into interna-tional regulations in compliance with the followingschemes: • European Agreement concerning the Interna-

tional Carriage of Dangerous Goods by InlandWaterway (ADN), for inland navigation trans-port.

• European Agreement concerning the Interna-tional Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road(ADR), for road transport.

• Regulations concerning the International Car-riage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID), forrailway transport.

• International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code(IMDG), managed by the International Mar-itime Organization (IMO), for sea transport.

• Annex 18 to the Chicago Convention of theInternational Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) or Annex A to resolutions 618 and 619of the International Air Transport Association(IATA), for air transport.

It should also be noted that through directive2008/68/EC, the regulations stipulated by the ADR,RID and ADN are mandatory for domestic trafficin EU countries and are also applicable to domestictraffic in many other countries (i.e. the UnitedStates, Canada, China, Australia, Japan etc.).It is evident that the overall actions of the UN inthe field of dangerous goods transport aim to pro-mote a high level of safety, creating an overall levelof common understanding and a common approachto the safety of drivers, road users and citizens liv-ing along roads and highways. This is fosteredthrough the following key elements:• Provisions for drivers (requirements for vehi-

cle crews, consignment procedures etc.).• Criteria of circulation (listing and coding dan-

gerous goods in a unified way, provisions re-lated to quantities etc.).

• Provisions for vehicles (packing and tankerprovisions, periodical overhauling and replace-ment of sub-standard tankers etc.).

We need to remember that the safety of road trans-port depends on continuous supervision by stake-holders and authorities of every single detail of theprocess - there can be no common safety standardif drivers do not adopt safety procedures or if au-thorities have a lax approach to enforcement or tothe monitoring of vehicles and tankers through theinspection of expired or invalid certification docu-ments or relevant vehicle parts. It should also behighlighted, particularly in relation to road trans-port, that the European Council has acknowledgedthe growth of ICT systems and places a high pre-mium on their operational utility.The arrival of ADR 2005 introduced the concept


3.5 Applications for the transport of dangerousgoods (safety and security)

30. Visual

identification

systems for

security in port

areas: reading

and automatic

processing of

container codes

(based on fibre-

optic technology,

RFID etc.)

31. Operational

checks and

inspection of

both goods and

vehicles in port

areas: examples

of X/gamma ray

systems used to

detect smuggled

materials,

explosives etc.

These systems

are also used for

customs

clearance

purposes

32. Fire on a

vehicle carrying

dangerous goods

30

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of security and protection for vehicles and goodswhile as also taking steps toward tackling acci-dents resulting from fraudulent acts. Besideshelping to ensure safe driving and people’s safety,it is the duty of the Dangerous Goods Safety Ad-viser (DGSA) to set up a plan that oversees thesafety and security of high-risk goods and setsout operational measures (i.e. drawing up theitinerary). Another milestone for safety is the ap-plicative provisions laid out by EU regulationson the digital tachograph for vehicles, which havebeen mandatory since May 2006.It also appears clear that the need to monitor thetransportation of dangerous goods is becomingan absolute priority because of issues connectedwith mobility and the safeguarding of the envi-ronment, but mainly because of the growingstature of international terrorism. The UnitedStates, which often anticipates the application ofprovisions that are currently subject to negotia-tions at international level, has already under-taken a series of unilateral measures.Finally we should mention the US Maritime Trans-portation Security Act and the Container Security

Initiative (CSI) which involves the preventive inspec-tion of containers before they leave for the UnitedStates. The CSI uses the following procedures: tech-nological means to inspect high-risk containers, in-troduction of protected containers that allow intel-ligent monitoring and sending alerts to harbourswarning of a ship’s arrival 24 hours in advance.

31

32

Whilst pursuing their own institu-tional activities, the UNECETransport Division and the otherbodies of the UNECE promoteITS through facilitating coordi-

nation activities and preparatory studies for legalinstruments aimed at the application and deploy-ment of ITS. The UNECE Transport Division was establishedafter the end of World War II in response to anurgent need for an overall coordinator and facil-itator of the international movement of peopleand cargo by road, rail and inland waterways, i.e.international transport. Nowadays, the Division’s main challenge is to lis-ten, understand and respond to new transport is-sues and in parallel continue its task of promotingthe implementation of existing conventions andagreements by all of its member countries.The UNECE’s strategy is to approach transport inan integrated way, concentrating not only on inno-vative new ways of doing things but also on waysto merge traditional, well-functioning legal instru-ments with new technology. Intelligent TransportSystems are part of this holistic vision for the trans-port system.Through cooperation with member Governments,other international organizations and non-govern-mental organizations, the UNECE Transport Divi-sion works to reduce the frequency and gravity ofroad accidents. To this end, it promotes the development of inter-nationally accepted legal instruments as well asrecommendations and resolutions.The Transport Division is composed of a numberof different sections and units that specialise invarious transport areas, including inland water-way transport, road transport, road traffic safety,vehicle regulations, rail transport, tunnel safety

and the transportation of dangerous goods andsensitive cargoes. Several groups deal with ITS-related matters.Recognising the importance of ITS, a focal pointhas been nominated.

A perspective vision: ITS - an area to be strengthened in the transportsectorIntelligent Transport Systems offer non-traditionalsolutions in an effective way. The UNECE’s main focuson ITS regulations has so far been overseen by theWorld Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regula-tions (WP.29). Technical specifications for AdvancedEmergency Braking Systems (AEBS) and Lane Depar-ture Warning Systems (LDWS) are just two examplesof standards imple-mented by WP.29.Significant improve-ments in vehicle-re-lated safety and thereduction of pollu-tion from traffic havebeen achieved atglobal level throughthe work of WP.29.However, greater im-provements in thesafety and environmental performance of vehiclesmay be achieved if ITS applications are streamlinedfurther into the output of WP.29. Motor vehicles are today - and most likely will be inthe future - much safer thanks to the use of ITS. Thetechnological upgrade of vehicles and related servicesfor drivers and road users is currently being explored,and a benchmarking process is being performed bythe ITS Informal Group operating inside WP.29.


33. The “Palais

des Nations”

in Geneva

34. Transport

on the UNECE

website

4. Outlook of UNECE action in the field of ITS and currentprovisions

4.1 The UNECE Transport Division’s approach to ITS

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The applications made available by ITS are alreadyhelping to enhance the performance of vehiclesthrough the use of technologies such as lane-keep-ing support systems, automatic braking systems,doze alert systems and rear lateral/lateral collisionavoidance systems. It is essential that infrastructuretakes a path of continuous development in order toarrive at the “intelligent road” stage, enabling thetransport system to deliver safer and more efficientsolutions for the mobility of people and goods.The traffic management of specific vehicles carry-ing dangerous goods, the tracing of vehicles them-selves and the possibility of rerouting them in thecase of an emergency or critical situation are allissues that the UNECE Working Party on the Trans-port of Dangerous Goods (WP.15) considers to beof paramount importance. Moreover, catering forrequirements related to the transport of dangerousgoods and their passage through specific locations(i.e. places with a high concentration of people) isbeneficial for road safety and gives additional ad-vantages in terms of security. Logistical and procedural issues relating to trans-port management are addressed by the WorkingParty on Intermodal Transport and Logistics(WP.24). The Working Party deals with the issuesand requirements of industries and transport poli-cymakers in areas such as pan-European networks;service standards for combined transport (Euro-pean Agreement on Important International Com-bined Transport Lines and Related Installations[AGTC]); efficient chain management and logistics

in intermodal transport; and interregional Euro-Asian land transport links.The Trans-European North-South Motorway (TEM)is one of the projects where UNECE is acting asthe executing agency. The TEM is a project throughwhich Governments and stakeholders decided tocooperate to promote a corridor for cross-borderroad traffic in Europe between the countries be-longing to Western, Eastern, Central and SouthEastern Europe.The project’s core aim is to give assistance in theintegration process of Europe’s transport infra-structure systems, thus promoting overall devel-opment in the region. This can be seen as a specialopportunity for establishing a system of high-ca-pacity roads that will ensure a high quality of serv-ice for traffic as a result of the application ofadopted standards, good practices and technology.Taking the development of TEM and the Trans-Eu-ropean Networks (TEN) into consideration, it is ofutmost importance to realise an overall traffic man-agement service that can be implemented with newoperating criteria and state-of-the-art technology.If we consider this programme in synergy withother programmes such as Trans-European Trans-port Networks (TEN-T) and the European Com-mission project “EasyWay”, we can envisage a newEurope-wide scenario; a new operating groundthrough which the demands of long-distance andinternational traffic can be satisfied alongside tech-nological development and/or upgrade. It wouldbe an important achievement and a winning stepto embrace the potential added value of ITS in thisnew vision and to foster commitment to the Ams-terdam declaration.In order to build bridges and create links betweentransport, health, environment and between thecountries of Europe - including Eastern Europe -the Caucasus, Central Asia and South East Europe,a decision has been made to strengthen the “Trans-

port, Health and Environment pan-European Pro-

gramme” (THE PEP). To this end, efforts are beingmade on the pan-European platform to bring coun-tries together to cooperate for efficient, healthyand environmentally friendly transport facilities.

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In the framework of the vehicle regulations ac-tivities of the UNECE in Geneva, WP.29 is ad-ministering the following two agreements:

1. The 1958 Agreement concerning the adoptionof uniform technical prescriptions for wheeledvehicles, equipment and parts which can befitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles andthe conditions for reciprocal recognition ofapprovals granted on the basis of these pre-scriptions. The 1958 agreement includes the130 UN regulations annexed to the agreementas well as the complete status information ofthe agreement, listing the Contracting Parties(CP) applying the UNECE regulations(49).

2. The 1998 Agreement concerning the estab-lishment of the global technical regulationsfor wheeled vehicles, equipment and partswhich can be fitted and/or be used onwheeled vehicles.

The 1998 agreement includes the Global Registry,which is the repository of nine Global TechnicalRegulations (GTR), the compendium of candidatesfor participation in the harmonization or adoptionof global technical regulations as well as the com-plete status information of the agreement(50).The categories of wheeled vehicles establishedby UNECE regulations can be found in the fol-lowing acts:(a) The definitions of the different categories of

vehicles established within the 1958 Agree-ment can be found in the Consolidated Reso-lution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3)available in TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.1 and itsamendments(51).

(b) The definitions of the different categories ofvehicles established within the 1998 Agree-ment can be found in Special Resolution No.1 (S.R.1) available in TRANS/WP.29/1045 andAmend.1(52).

A blue book on the activities, and how to joinWP.29, contains the guidelines and main fields ofoperation(53).The activities are structured as illustrated belowin figure 36.

Reports of sessions, references to working docu-ments and other resources are all available on theUNECE website. The following working parties are involved in ac-tivities relating to safety and matters that are po-tentially ITS-related: Working Party on Lightingand Light-Signalling (GRE), Working Party onBrakes and Running Gear (GRRF), Working Partyon Passive Safety (GRSP) and Working Party onGeneral Safety Provisions (GRSG). The subsidiary body of WP.29 responsible for up-dating the existing requirements with regard togeneral safety provisions is the Working Party onGeneral Safety Provisions (GRSG)(54). The sub-sidiary body of WP.29 responsible for updatingthe existing requirements with regard to PassiveSafety Provisions, is the Working Party on PassiveSafety (GRSP)(55). The subsidiary bodies of WP.29responsible for updating the existing requirementswith regard to Active Safety, are the Working Partyon Brakes and Running Gear (GRRF)(56) and theWorking Party on Lighting and Light-Signalling(GRE)(57).The following are the main legal instruments relat-ing to road traffic safety and road infrastructure:(a) Convention on Road Traffic of 1968 and Euro-

pean Agreement Supplementing the Conven-tion - 2006 consolidated versions.

(b) Convention on Road Signs and Signals of 1968,


(49) www.unece.org/trans/main/welcwp29.htm

(50) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29glob.html

(51) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29re3.html

(52) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29sr.html

(53) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29pub.html - www.unece.org/trans/doc/2004/itc/itcrt/Overview.ppt#16

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35. UN meeting

room, Geneva

36. UNECE

Working Parties

on vehicle

regulations

within WP.29

37. UN

conference

room, Geneva

4.2 Working Parties and groups of UNECE:generalities, activities and aims

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36

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(54) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29grsg/grsgage.html

(55) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29grsp/grspage.html

(56) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29grrf/grrfage.html

(57) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gre/greage.html

(58) www.unece.org/trans/roadsafe/wp1fdoc.html

(59) www.unece.org/trans/theme_its.html

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European Agreement Supplementing the Con-vention and Protocol on Road Markings Addi-tional to the European Agreement - 2006 con-solidated versions.

(c) European Agreement on Main InternationalTraffic Arteries (AGR) of 15 November 1975.

Within the general mandate of the United Nations,the Working Party on Road Traffic Safety (WP.1)initiates and pursues actions aimed at reinforcingand improving road safety. More specifically, theWP.1 works for the elaboration and continous up-dating of the 1968 conventions on road trafficand on road signs and signals, as well as the Eu-ropean agreements supplementing them, in addi-tion to the unique set of road safety best practicescontained in the Consolidated Resolution on

Road Traffic (R.E.1) and the Consolidated Reso-lution on Road Signs and Signals (R.E.2(58)).The Working Party supervises the collection of datapublished by Governments concerning existing na-tional road traffic legislation and road traffic sta-tistics (accidents and casualties) from Europe andNorth America. According to the latest United Na-tions resolutions on road safety (United NationsGeneral Assembly resolutions 58/9 of 5 November2003 on the global road safety crisis, 58/289 of 11May 2004, 60/5 of 1 December 2005 and 62/244 of31 March 2008 on improving global road safety andthe most recent United Nations Road Safety Reso-lution 64/255 of 2 March 2010) WP.1 and the UNECEhave coordinated several road safety projects, suchas the latest UNDA project on “Improving Global

Road Safety: Setting Regional and National Road

Traffic Casualty Reduction Targets”. The objectiveof which is to assist Governments in low and mid-dle income countries to develop regional and na-tional road safety targets and to exchange experi-ences on good practices for achieving these targetsby 2015.In order to adapt the existing conventions and setsof rules to the dynamics of road safety, thematicad hoc working groups have been given specialmandate on specific issues, including ITS (such asthe creation of an expert group on VMS), as wellas the creation of joint working groups on mattersthat have an impact on road safety (i.e. joint workon road safety and infrastructure with the WorkingParty on Road Transport [SC.1]).

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4.3 Activities performed by UNECE bodies in the field of ITS

The UNECE Transport Division aims to pro-mote the application of ITS in order toachieve its policy goals.

Intelligent Transport Systems were discussed andmade the object of specific legal instrumentsthanks to the work of several UNECE bodies(59),including: the World Forum for Harmonization ofVehicle Regulations (WP.29); the Working Partyon Road Safety (WP.1); the MultidisciplinaryGroup of Experts on Road Safety in Tunnels(AC.7); the Working Party on Inter-modal Trans-port and Logistics (WP.24); the Working Party onCustoms Questions affecting Transport (WP.30)and the Working Party on the Transport of Dan-

gerous Goods (WP.15). All these bodies have ex-pressed their wish that UNECE Transport Divi-sion, being their secretary, provides strategicguidance and administrative support to them withregard to ITS, focussing on the following four ar-eas:1. Mitigating traffic congestion.2. Improving road traffic safety.3. Reducing pollution and noise.4. Improving fuel efficiency.The following pages include some highlights ofITS-related actions that have already been imple-mented or are in progress within UNECE officialbodies. The list is not exhaustive.


4.3.1 Informal Group on ITS underWP.29 for in-vehicle ITS

As a result of efforts to equip motor vehicles withartificial intelligence and information systems,some advanced Intelligent Vehicle Systems (IVS)technologies were introduced into the automotivemarket. The acceleration of the widespread use ofthese technologies was considered desirable notonly because they contribute to the comfort andsafety of equipped vehicles, but they also contributeto enhanced safety for road traffic as a whole.It is possible that in-vehicle ITS technologies maybe rejected by the market before they become fullydeveloped if people are not aware of their abilityto enhance safety and their overall contribution toefficiency. It was therefore necessary to bring abouta common understanding of possible regulationsand certification procedures in stakeholder coun-tries. Rising expectations made WP.29 take the ini-tiative in building such a consensus.As a response, WP.29 established an ITS InformalGroup in June 2002, to began preparation for theInland Transport Committee (ITC) roundtablemeeting and deepen its understanding of in-vehicleITS issues. At the ITC roundtable of 18 February2004, WP.29 members and organizations recon-firmed the importance of discussing in-vehicle ITSissues in WP.29 and agreed to continue the activitiesof the ITS Informal Group.The ITS Informal Group assumed the role of a“strategic group”, which works to expand knowl-edge of new technologies designed to enhancesafety, including developing a common under-standing of these technologies. The InformalGroup also discusses now to handle these tech-nologies in the regulatory framework, if neces-sary, and reports the discussion results to theWP.29. The Informal Group aims to accelerate the de-velopment, deployment and use of intelligent in-tegrated safety systems that use Information andCommunication Technologies (ICT) in solutionsfor improving road safety, reducing the numberof accidents on Europe's roads and making roadtraffic both greener and smarter. The technologiesdiscussed by the WP.29/ITS Informal Group arein-vehicle ITS (on-board safety systems that uti-lize information received from direct sensingand/or telecommunications via road infrastruc-ture or other sources). The Informal Group has issued the following state-ment concerning on-board ITS:• It is important to emphasize that certain ITS

applications use advanced technologies to pro-vide in-vehicle support for reducing the num-ber of crashes and attendant injuries anddeaths. Other ITS applications provide in-ve-hicle information for purposes other than im-proved safety. Whatever the primary functionis, both types of ITS applications can have im-portant unintentional influences on safety(positive and negative).

In addition, since there are strong expectations forthe contributions of ITS to the enhancement of ve-hicle and traffic safety, it was determined that thefollowing understanding is also necessary:• Certain areas of systems are expected to be

discussed primarily for enhancing the safetyof vehicles. They include systems that use ad-vanced technologies for enhancing safety, andthat advise/warn, and/or assist the driver withthe purpose of vehicle functions and perform-ance in driving.

Looking at the function of in-vehicle ITS for safetyenhancement, the extent of the system’s assistanceto drivers’ control is an important issue to be de-liberated, including how far the “assist” can be ex-tended and how closely it is related to “substitu-tion”. This discussion can be based on certaincurrent in-vehicle ITS solutions.In-vehicle ITS technologies can be divided intothree categories: 1. Assistance by information presentation and

control under normal driving conditions.2. Assistance by warning under critical condi-

tions.3. Assistance by control under pre-crash condi-

tions.In June 2011, the World Forum (WP.29) adoptedguidelines on establishing requirements for high-pri-ority warning signals (ECE/TRANS8WP.29/2011/90).They were transmitted by the Informal Group on ITSand contain the Statement of Principles on the Designof High-Priority Warning Signals for Advanced DriverAssistance Systems (ADAS).

Intelligent Vehicle SystemsIn regard to vehicle construction, UNECE hasprovided strategic direction to improve safetyand reduce pollution created by vehicles at aglobal level through WP.29, which also tacklesthe issue of ITS implementation in transport. Sev-eral ITS technologies are currently in operation,such as the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) - oneof the first example of ITS to be used in motorvehicles - and the Electronic Stability Control(ESC) system. The Tyre Pressure Monitoring Sys-

38. Effect of

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(60) For instance, UNECE Regulation on Frontal collision (regulation No. 94) does not mandate the installation of air-bags for occupant protection butsets biomechanical injury criteria and limits (measured through test dummies) to be complied with during testing. Accordingly, the vehicle shallperform occupant protection allowing the manufacturer to devise the best design for achieving it

(61) www.unece.org/trans/doc/2009/wp29/ITS-17-02e.ppt

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tem (TPMS) and Brake Assist Systems (BAS) aretwo of the most recent representative examplesintroduced by legal instruments under the respon-sibility of WP.29. The TPMS improves vehiclesafety, providing real-time tyre pressure monitor-ing while also helping to reduce CO2 emissions.The aim of the BAS is to improve brake efficiency- a development not only good for passengers,but for pedestrians too. In 2009, provisions re-garding TPMS were adopted and incorporatedinto regulations for passenger vehicles. The de-velopment of provisions for other vehicle-basedsystems such as Lane Departure Warning Systems(LDWS) and Brake Assist Systems (BAS) are inthe final stage and should be completed by2011/2012. In addition to systems that are con-fined to vehicles, there are a number of other sys-tems that interact between the road side/infra-structure and the vehicle.Safety regulations are based on performance re-quirements, not on specific technologies, to preventdesign restrictions(60). The future development ofroad safety will be improved by accident avoidancemuch more than by injury mitigation.The future appears promising for driver assistancesystems. Very soon it will be possible to send in-cremental map and information updates to in-ve-hicle systems. In conventional driving, the driverobserves their surroundings and the running con-dition of their vehicle, making judgments on ap-propriate actions and consequently directly oper-ating the steering wheel, pedal and brake.

The driving system illustrated in figure 6 may besupported by a separate “driving assistance system”designed to assist the driver’s recognition, deci-sion-making and control abilities by utilizing ad-vanced technologies. The concept of driving assistance, including assis-tance for control, should be separated from “com-plete substitution”, which means taking over of allof the driver’s functions and responsibilities. Vari-ous research institutes are currently engaged instudies on the form, extent, timing and other ap-propriate elements of possible driver assistance.While some types of driver assistance systems arealready in practical use on vehicles, as a wholethey are still in their developmental stage. This of-fers a timely opportunity for countries and thetransport sector in general to seek a deeper under-standing of the technologies available for driverassistance.

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4.3.2 Informal working group ontelematics - Working Party on theTransport of Dangerous Goods(WP.15)

In order to promote the use of ITS, theRID/ADR/ADN Joint Meeting put in place an in-formal working group on telematics to considerwhat type of data can be provided by ICT systemsto enhance the safety and security of dangerousgoods transport and related facilities. In particu-lar, it will consider who might benefit from thedelivery of information and in what way. These parties may include consignors, transportoperators, emergency response teams, law enforce-ment officials or motorway regulators (see termsof reference ECE/TRANS/WP.15/AC.1/108/Add.3).Moreover, the group will analyse the costs/bene-fits of utilising ITS tools for the previously men-

tioned purposes and will consider what proce-dures/responsibilities might be necessary in themonitoring of the information received. A deci-sion also needs to be reached on how access todata should be controlled.In the UNECE framework of actions and refer-ences, attention was also paid to the EuropeanCommission’s action plan on the developmentof ITS, which should be pan-European. It couldbe an advantageous asset to have a shared viewon a consistent ITS system for all transportmodes. In this respect, it is interesting to note that theEuropean transmission protocol DATEX II -which defines the data transmission protocol be-tween traffic management and traffic informationcentres in Europe - has the potential to coverthese multimodal aspects and the consequent op-erations on roads.


(62) Most material is from “The VMS Unit: a proposal”, Arbaiza, Lucas(63) Papers produced in 2008 are available on http://www.unece.org/trans/roadsafe/wp12008.html

(64) ARTS, CENTRICO, CONNECT, CORVETTE, ITHACA, SERTI, STREETWISE, VIKING

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39. Evolution

of road sign

harmonisation

in Europe

(1909-2009)

4.3.3 UNECE Road Safety Forum(WP.1) - Informal working group forharmonization of VMS pictograms(62)

Variable Message Signs (VMS) are one of the bet-ter known ITS devices. This kind of technologyis mainly, but not entirely, used for informationpurposes. In order to harmonize these types ofsigns, the UNECE launched a devoted workinggroup(63) within the institutional framework ofthe Working Party on Road Traffic Safety (WP.1).With the same objective regarding harmonizationsince the mid-1990s, the European CommissionDirectorate General for Transport and Energy’s(DG TREN) Multi-annual Indicative Programmes(MIP) for ITS implementation has developed anetwork of Euro-regional projects(64) dealing withmany ITS-related issues, including VMS. Perhapsan interesting trend that best demonstrates thiseffort in Europe can be seen in projects that in-corporate a range of areas; from applied science(framework programmes) through to scientificimplementation (Euro-regional projects). The project Substituting/Optimizing (variable)Message Signs for the Trans-European Road Net-work (SOMS/IN-SAFETY) operated in that man-ner between 2005 and 2007. Similarly, MIP-2MARE NOSTRUM VMS (2003-2006) adopted em-pirical procedures in order to solve the old prob-lems of sign innovation and standardisation. Theoutcome of both projects was the formation ofthe UNECE’s WP.1 Small Group on VMS, a groupmade up of functionaries from France, the Nether-lands, Spain (all personnel coming from Mare

Nostrum VMS) and Germany.This method of progress found its place withinthe EC EasyWay programme. Continuing with thevision of the Mare Nostrum VMS Long DistanceCorridor (2003-2006), EasyWay’s 4th EuropeanStudy (ES4 2007-2013) - coherently called MareNostrum - retains and expands on this approachfor dealing with the innovation and standardisa-tion of VMS. The ES-4 group complements thework carried out by other bodies such as the Eu-ropean Committee for Standardization (CEN) -which is focused on the harmonisation of techni-cal display parameters - or the work of the Con-ference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR).The Conference of European Directors of Roads’Framework for the Harmonised Implementationof VMS in Europe (FIVE), for example, recom-mends general design principles for VMS but doesnot analyze in detail the specific informative ele-ments that are missing on each of the road/trafficsituations that require harmonisation. The goal is to avoid scenarios where the Euro-pean driver may not be able to understand infor-mation concerning their safety, route diversionsand all the other potential improvements that canbe made to their journey, due to language prob-lems. A complete harmonisation of VMS will im-prove safety and increase the efficiency of theroad network, especially for long-distance trans-port. The identification and development of spe-cific informative elements (pictograms, alphanu-meric codes) and message structures that aretotally independent of local languages is also en-visaged.EasyWay ES-4 has already realised historic mile-stones through the delivery of important docu-ments (notably the so-called “Working Book” andthe ES-4 Guidelines, which deal specifically withup to 47 road/traffic situations and acknowledgealready-existing VMS types and specific road sit-uations).Back in the 1900s, danger warning signs were ba-sically the only immediately available resourcefor overcoming the sudden and pronouncedchanges to the road environment that came withthe advent of motor vehicles. It is easy to under-stand that on roads the difference between 16km/h (horse-drawn carriages) and 80 km/h (thatwas soon available to most motorcars) is enor-mous. Motorization made the road network intoa more dangerous place in just a few years androad signs were the most pragmatic and feasibleway of easing that problem. Motorized nations quickly had to identify road or

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(65) Performed mainly by the University of Valencia and by SINA in cooperation with the University of Roma 3(66) See http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp1/ECE-TRANS-WP1-2005-06r4e.pdf

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traffic situations that could be managed via roadsigns. In the 1970s, a technological revolutionnamed the “third telematic wave” brought an ad-ditional parameter into play: the enlargement ofVMS visualization devices. In two decades, de-vices progressed from fixed-post to fixed-variableand to mobile, in-car displays; from painted bulbsto LED surfaces; from restricted displays to fullmatrix. In fact, a new vision of road transportand traffic was developing in the 1980s - the keywords here are high-speed and real-time trafficinformation - while the catalogue of internationalroad signs still largely looked like it was fromthe 1950s. The lack of activity in road signs atglobal level correlated directly with the state ofinnovation at national level.In the early 1990s, new information technologiesmade it evident that road signs hadn’t been up-dated since the catalogue from the 1968 Conven-tion on Road Signs and Signals. Encouraged byindustrial dispositions and management needs,national road administrations (particularly in Eu-rope) were faster in generating and adopting newroad signs than UNECE’s WP.1 was in standard-izing them. The result was a lack of road signharmonisation within the new and expanding do-main of temporary, variable and real-time roadsigning.Modern signs (both roadside VMS and in-car dis-plays) may refer to practically all traffic circum-stances: visibility, congestion, re-routing, ghostdrivers, grip or capacity issues, speed control,polluted areas, black spots or sections, and soon. This gives way to tactical or strategic man-agement; the core signing functions - regulatory,warning of danger, or informative messages - cannow be displayed at any time according to road,traffic and enforcement parameters.Variable Message Signs have spread widely be-cause of their flexibility: they supply drivers withup-to-date information regarding road and travelconditions. A common use of VMS is to display aTactical Incident Message (TIM) - a specific mes-sage warning of a particular impending hazard.Variable Message Signs can also distribute moregeneral advice on good driving habits by trans-mitting safety campaign messages. Behaviouralstudies(65) helped WP.1 to focus on the essentialrequirements of messages and on the need tobroaden the scope of existing ones. In these studies, drivers were tested in order tofind out the effectiveness of alert messages andhow their use affected their behaviour as drivers.Variable Message Signs carrying repeated safety

messages were shown to have a positive impacton driver alertness in tests using eye-tracking de-vices. The response and concurrent influence on drivingperformances and journey re-planning have beenfactors of relevant consideration for experts andfor WP. 1.The real time information provided by VMS is initself considered to be vital in several scenarios.Traffic operators, mobility management teamsand police officers need VMS in order to transmitmessages to drivers in the quickest possible way.To be effective the message must be brief andconvey information that a driver can react to andput to use in a prompt and effective manner. Mes-sages can be generated by road operators from apre-existing library or customized for the situa-tion to not only inform drivers of delays, but alsobring general information (such as the availabilityof park and ride options) or to target and influ-ence driver behaviour and safety (i.e. safety beltreminders, speed limits).It has been proven that credibility and clarity areof utmost importance if VMS are to have an effecton driver behaviour. Incorrect or vague informa-tion could lead to risky behaviour, whereas mes-sages that instruct drivers on what action to take(‘prescriptive’ signs) are very effective and morelikely to cause drivers to change their behaviourthan messages that simply describe the situation.It has also been demonstrated that drivers re-spond strongly to the selection of words, theirsequence and format, and to the location andspacing of signs.A recent update of the Consolidated Resolutionon Road Signs and Signals (RE2)(66), which wasused to convey updated references in the ViennaConvention on Road Signs and Signals - set aninnovative definition on the use of pictogramsand on the main information provided by them.The update also set the general deployment rulesused to facilitate the harmonization of VMS in allUNECE regions. Particular emphasis was placedon fostering their use in international traffic cor-ridors.Because the aim is to facilitate the use of VMS inan effective way, in cross-border traffic manage-ment, it is recommended that only well-known,international abbreviations (i.e. ‘km’ for kilome-tre, ‘min’ for minute, etc.) should be used. In ad-dition, general, shared terms of reference shouldbe established to keep messages clear and effec-tive with the minimum number of words and sym-bols.


(67) www.unece.org/trans/main/sc1/sc1cmr.html

(68) Images from http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/sc1/ECE-TRANS-SC1-103-pres02e.pdf

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4.3.4 Expert group for safety in road tunnels

The three major tunnel accidents that struck fourEuropean countries between 1999 and 2001 (MontBlanc, Tauern and St. Gotthard) served to remindinternational authorities of the need to find waysto prevent such incidents and mitigate their con-sequences. This target can be achieved through theprovision of safe design criteria for new tunnels,effective management and possible upgrade of tun-nels that are in service, and improved communica-tion of important information to tunnel users. Thelikelihood of fatalities can be greatly reducedthrough the efficient organization of operationaland emergency services (harmonized, safer andmore efficient emergency procedures, chiefly forcross-border operations) hiring more skilled per-sonnel, implementing more effective safety systemsand promoting better awareness among road usersof how to behave in emergency situations.UNECE reacted to this need by establishing a multi-disciplinary group of experts on road tunnel safetywith the official participation of the World RoadAssociation (PIARC). In December 2001 the grouppublished the “Recommendations of the Group of

Experts on Safety in Road Tunnels: Final Report”.This report includes recommendations on all as-pects related to road tunnel safety - users, opera-tion, infrastructure and vehicles. The report wasapproved by all member countries.The paper includes several proposals for ITS. Theseinclude: on-board video systems for load monitor-ing (see measure C.4.1); Variable Message Signs(see measure 3.09 and annex 1); traffic monitoring(see measures 3.04 and 3.11); radio communica-tions (see measure 3.04); traffic management (seemeasure 2.12); traffic management plans (see meas-ure 2.13); lane management (see measure 2.08);and the x-ray analysis of heavy goods vehicles andGPS tracking (see measure 1.04).In line with the goal to improving tunnel safety,the EC drafted a directive on the minimum safetyrequirements for tunnels in the Trans-EuropeanRoad Network (TERN). This legislative documentwas approved by the European Parliament andEuropean Council and entered into force in April2004. It was then transposed into the national leg-islation of EU countries (directive 2004/54/EC,11888/03, 29 April 2004). Recital No. 14 of directive2004/54/EC recalls the background work per-formed by the UNECE.

4.3.5 E-CMR

The UNECE Convention on the Contract for theInternational Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR)is a UN convention signed in Geneva on 19 May1956. It deals with various legal issues concerningcargo transportation (predominantly by lorries)on roads. Based on the CMR, the InternationalRoad Union (IRU) developed the currently usedstandard CMR waybill. In 2008, an e-CMR Proto-col(67) was agreed upon, which aims to ease inter-national road freight and further improve goodgovernance in road transport by allowing the useof electronic consignment notes.

This new Protocol is an Additional Protocol to theCMR. It sets out the legal framework and standardsfor using electronic means to record and store con-signment note data, making information transferfaster and more efficient in comparison to paper-based systems. Less paperwork means time savedand reduces margins for error.As well as saving time and money, transport oper-ators will benefit from streamlined procedures andsecure data exchange. In particular, the so-callede-CMR will reduce the room for errors in dealingwith identification and the authentication of sig-natures.Current practices, which still use paper, struggle

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40. Digital CMR -

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with lengthy procedures and goods are often de-livered before the documents arrive. By implement-ing the e-CMR Protocol, the countries involvedhave ensured that their road transport is up tospeed with other transport modes that alreadymake use of the electronic consignment note orwill shortly do so.Some of the advantages of the e-CMR are efficiency,

real-time notification and freight invoicing on theday of delivery. The disadvantages include the pos-sibility that the consignee may not be in line withUNECE regulations and be connected to the digitalCMR, so an in-cabin paper CMR waybill will con-tinue to be required. It can therefore be said thatthe paper CMR waybill will remain common, atleast for the time being.

4.3.6 Rail transport

Improving rail infrastructureThe interoperability of telecommunications in rail-way operations is important for all countries in thepan-European region. It aims to improve rail infra-structure efficiency by ensuring that the rail sectorcontributes to sustainable transport in an environ-ment competitive with all other modes. Some ofthe necessary harmonization (interoperability) ef-forts that have taken place in the EU and EuropeanFree Trade Association (EFTA) countries arebriefly described below.The EU selected GSM-R as the transmission tech-nology defined in the EU directive on the interop-erability of high speed trains and other EU direc-tives for railways (including the European directiveon the interoperability of conventional lines). GSM-R uses GSM technology that has been adapted tospecialized requirements for harmonized railwayoperations, in particular for high-speed trains andcontainer trains. Within the EU and EFTA area,GSM-R is now being combined with the GeneralPacket Radio Service (GPRS) to form the basis ofan ITS tool that would give railways the means toimprove efficiency and offer new services providingthat the market, while opening to competition, canprogress in a workable manner. The European RailTraffic Management System (ERTMS) combines theEuropean Train Control System (ETCS) with GSM-R. ERTMS should eventually achieve interoperabil-ity across the EU rail network. At present, ERTMScompatible high-speed lines operate in Belgium,France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain andSwitzerland. In the area of intermodal transport,ERTMS has been successfully introduced on theborder-crossing trains of the four participating coun-tries (the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland andItaly) on the Rotterdam-Genoa corridor. The use ofmulti-current ERTMS locomotives that can crossnational borders has contributed significantly tothe quality of service along this corridor. There is a need to hasten interoperability in the rail

sector beyond the EU - i.e. in the wider Europe areaand Central Asia - in order to improve sustainability.However, there is a trade-off between speed andefficiency. The ITS tools adopted by the EU andEFTA countries are not interoperable in the Eco-nomic Commission for Europe (ECE) region as awhole. In other words, the ITS standards for railoperations in (Eastern Europe and Central Asia)are not necessarily compatible with ERTMS. Thefragmentation of technical standards increases thecost of business because potential economies ofscale in the manufacturing of rail vehicles and railoperations cannot be fully captured. Although, inprinciple, SC.2 could play an active role in theprocess of harmonization of ITS standards acrossthe ECE region, it has to be emphasized that thereare no resources available for this task at present.

Improving rail securityRecent research activity has demonstrated that ITScapabilities can be used to considerably enhance thesecurity of rail transport. This is significant given thelikelihood of terrorist attacks against “soft” targets,including railway infrastructure (stations, rollingstock, track and inter-modal terminals). In the areaof container transport, various reports have empha-sized that security tends to be uneven from one modeto the next. While security measures are usually well-developed and integrated in ports, hinterland con-nections (rail, road and inland waterways) on theouter edges of the supply chain are often less pro-tected against security breaches. In the area of pas-senger transport, railway stations and trains are notas well protected as airports and airplanes.Two interesting ITS applications in the rail sector in-clude the integrated security system for critical rail-way and energy infrastructure developed recentlyby Ferrovie Dello Stato in Italy, and the rail IT modelfor interdependent integration developed by the Alt-stom corporation. Both applications will be consid-ered by the recently established Task Force on RailSecurity and most likely recommended to the Gov-ernments of UNECE member States.


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Developing international intermodalnetworksGeographic Information System (GIS) technologyhas been used extensively for a number of years inthree projects supported by the UNECE: Trans-Eu-ropean Motorway (TEM) network, Trans-EuropeanRailways (TER) network and Euro-Asian TransportLinks (EATL). The TEM/TER and EATL networksare intermodal and include important inland andmaritime transport links. The great challenge for fur-ther UNECE work in this area is to collect accuratetraffic data to be analysed using GIS technology toimprove the understanding of intra-regional and in-ter-regional container transport flows. This type ofwork is policy-relevant and is included in the draftwork plan of the UNECE Expert Group on Euro-Asian Transport Links. Actual implementation is sub-ject to the availability of resources.

Improving accessibility for passengersin rail systemsThe Working Party on Rail Transport (SC.2) de-cided to address this topic as it is likely to be im-portant for the future of passenger transport byrail. Demographic projections show that the num-ber of people over the age of 65 is certain to in-crease rapidly in most countries of the ECE regionin the not too distant future. In parts of the ECEregion, this 65+ population will have a reasonablyhigh life expectancy and considerable disposableincome. If rail operators could accommodate forthe travel needs of the aged, demand for rail pas-senger services (including international services)would almost certainly rise. Intelligent TransportSystems applications are capable of efficiently ad-dressing many older passengers’ needs (user-friendly ticketing, appropriate signage, etc.).

4.3.7 Inland Water Transport

Inland navigation has also put ITS to good use.The latest information technology systems haveprovided a basis for the development of harmo-nized information services such as the so-calledRiver Information Services (RIS), which supporttraffic and transport management while also in-terfacing with other transport modes. The goal isto contribute to a safe and efficient transportprocess and to use the available waterways(rivers, canals, lakes) and their infrastructure totheir fullest potential. River Information Services are in operation in manycountries of the UNECE region, ranging from in-cipient systems to fully-fledged services and com-prehensive Vessel Traffic Services (VTS). Taking into account the variety of available tech-nological solutions (VHF radio, mobile data com-munication services, Global Navigation SatelliteSystems [GNSS], internet, etc.), the emphasis ofRIS is more toward services that facilitate infor-mation exchange between parties in inland navi-gation and less on technology-dependent solutions. River Information Services include a wide rangeof services, such as fairway information services,traffic information services, traffic management,calamity abatement reports, information for trans-port logistics and information for law enforce-ment(69). Given the international and intermodal aspectsof inland shipping, it is crucial to establish inter-nationally harmonized standards on the general

RIS framework and specific RIS tools, such asthe Inland Electronic Charts Display and Infor-mation System (Inland ECDIS), electronic shipreporting, electronic data transmission to skip-pers and inland Automatic Identification (AIS)systems. To the greatest possible extent, thesestandards are built in line with maritime naviga-tion standards developed by an internationalgroup of experts supported by countries and com-petent international organizations such as theUNECE and the River Commissions and Interna-tional Navigation Association (PIANC). In EUMember States, directive 2005/44/EC from 7 Sep-tember 2005 deals with harmonised RIS on inlandwaterways. The multi-annual action programmeon Navigation and Inland Waterway Action andDevelopment in Europe (NAIADES) includes animportant component on RIS implementation. The UNECE Working Party on Inland Water Trans-port (SC.3) has issued several resolutions on RIS-related issues, including the Recommendation onElectronic Chart Display and Information Systemfor Inland Navigation (resolution No. 48); Guide-lines and Recommendations for River InformationServices (resolution No. 57); Guidelines and Crite-ria for Vessel Traffic Services on Inland Waterways(resolution No. 58); International Standards for No-tices to Skippers and for Electronic Ship Reportingin Inland Navigation (resolution No. 60) and theInternational Standard for Tracking and Tracing onInland Waterways (resolution No. 63). Discussionrelated to RIS implementation regularly appearson the SC.3’s agenda.

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Concerning the benefits and costs of ITS,the Research and Innovative Technol-ogy Administration (RITA) of the UnitedStates has published a very large data-base of case studies(70) on the internet.

To be pragmatic, we can look at a key set of assets,generally deemed valid for ITS, but specificallydeemed valid for emerging economies (see also theaforementioned “ITS Technical Note For Developing

Countries(71)”, published by the World Bank). Here-inafter are some examples of benefits.

Asset 1. Fatalities and injuriesRoadside and on-board technologies will help driv-ers to detect and avoid potentially dangerous driv-ing situations. Other technologies will identify driv-ers impaired as a result of alcohol, drugs or fatigue,and address reckless driving. The role of ITS is im-portant for improving enforcement on roads andhighways. Intelligent Transport Systems are helpingto shift the safety focus from minimising the con-sequences of crashes (through the use of seat belts,head rests, impact absorbing front ends, etc.) tothe use of technology that makes crashes less se-vere and can prevent them altogether.

Asset 2. MobilityPeople need travel options to be convenient, reli-able and affordable. Mobility is of key importanceto people with special needs, including the elderly,the poor, people with disabilities and people wholive in remote areas. Better mobility improves qual-ity of life and boosts the ability of individuals andorganisations to contribute to the growth of theeconomy. Intelligent Transport Systems includemany methods for enhancing the mobility of peopleand freight in all transportation modes. For in-stance, travel information helps travellers avoidcongestion, promoting a better use of existing roadcapacity and subsequently improving traffic con-ditions. Traffic management (i.e. the more effective

timing of traffic signals) can help increase trafficefficiency. Demand management, (i.e. road and ac-cess pricing) can help relieve heavily congestedurban areas. Commercial vehicle managementhelps to improve security and efficiency, not onlyfor carriers but also for related public agencies.

Asset 3. EnvironmentIntelligent Transport Systems will help to reducethe wasted time and energy by optimising trips, re-ducing congestion, improving vehicle and driverperformance and fostering better the managementof the transportation system as a whole. The opti-misation of the transport system will result in en-ergy savings, lower pollution levels and reducedenvironmental impact.

Asset 4. Faster emergency response andincreased efficiency of road operatorsThe availability of new communication systemsand organisational means will enhance the abilitiesof road operators and the emergency services. In-telligent Transport Systems will be able to pinpointan accident, help determine the extent of injuriessustained, direct emergency vehicles to the acci-dent site more quickly and find the best route tohospitals, allowing the flow of traffic to return tonormal conditions more quickly.

5. Summary of benefits and challenges in the promotion of ITS5.1 Benefits

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Asset 5. Reducing travel uncertaintyThe transportation system will guide travellers inreal-time, helping them on a daily basis to avoidcongestion or react to accidents and other incidentssuch as strikes, seasonal peaks or adverse weatherconditions. Intelligent Transport Systems can helpto reduce travel uncertainty by smoothing trafficflow (and therefore reducing fluctuations in traveltimes). Intelligent Transport Systems can also pro-vide improved real-time and predictive informationthat allows travellers to plan trips in a more effec-tive way. In-vehicle navigation systems can incor-porate real-time traffic information to dynamicallyadjust driving routes, optimising trips based on thereceived information.

Asset 6. Increasing securityIntelligent Transport Systems provide technologythat permits users to address security concernsthrough the use of GPS (or other positioning tech-nology), wired and wireless communications andimproved sensors and information systems. Intel-ligent Transport Systems can monitor the contentsand locations of containers, monitor the cargo androutes taken by trucks, track the location and statusof public transport vehicles, and generally support,simplify, and increase the visibility of transport lo-gistics. This is an area in which increased securitycan facilitate efficiency and productivity by stan-dardising and integrating processes for managingthe transport of people and cargoes.

Asset 7. Increasing comfort for roadusersIntelligent Transport Systems also help travellers tohave more comfortable and efficient trips. For ex-ample, Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) systems haveadvantages for individual drivers as well as for theoverall road system. The immediate advantage to theindividual driver is that with ETC it is no longer nec-essary to stop at toll barriers - the toll can be paidwhile vehicles are still in motion. The indirect advan-tage is an overall decrease in delays at toll barriersfor all vehicles, even those that are not using ETCdevices. In this way overall pollution is reduced as aresult of reducing the level of stop-and-go traffic.

Asset 8. Public Private Partnership(PPP) and industrial developmentPrivate companies will team up with public agen-cies to provide products and services to consumers,Governments and other businesses. Governmentswill provide provisions and incentives to con-sumers that encourage the use of technologies thatunderpin a public benefit.In many cases, it is more economical for developingcountries to import technology from developedcountries than to develop the technology domesti-cally. However, there are some cases in which thedemand for IT-related equipment, including ITSequipment, can help foster new domestic industriesfor manufacturing this equipment. This works bestin developing countries that already have at leastsome base IT industry in place.In addition, ITS equipment and systems requiremaintenance and renovation throughout their lifecycle, some of which can often be provided by do-mestic resources. This can also help build the ITbase in developing countries. Plans for developingthese industries can be made during the introduc-tion of ITS.

Asset 9. A step towards co-modalityThe availability of efficient information and thepossibility of a smart road transport system allowsfor the promotion of a pro-active exchange of in-formation and services with other modes of trans-port, promoting an integration of the capabilitiesof the different modes.


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The assets derived from ITS deployment aremore numerous and better defined than thepotential difficulties that could arise. How-

ever, the objectives of administrators and road traf-fic designers face variables such as human factorsand technological and cultural limits that couldhamper the effectiveness of ITS. Technical progressin road transport will produce positive effects aslong as stakeholders are aware of the possible back-lash. Below is a description of issues that couldarise with the deployment of ITS.

Issue 1. Interoperability is essentialFor historical reasons it’s actually quite difficultto move rail rolling stock across national borders:the lack of interoperability remains a major ob-stacle to rail network development. However,similar interoperability problems should not hin-der ITS deployment across Europe and beyond.This is an area where the UNECE could make amajor contribution. By focusing on effective in-teroperability, vehicles should be able to easilytravel across borders, despite the fact that infra-structures are managed locally. In this istance,technology can be an asset rather than a hin-drance, on the condition that their use and oper-ability is harmonized. For example consider elec-tronic road pricing or toll charges. If you neededa different device for each country visited youcould very well end up with no room left for thedriver in the car. By striving to achive full inter-operability between intelligent transport deviceswe avoid the risk of creating barriers to the seam-less flow of people and goods. This is a crucialobjective, not just for UNECE countries, but forthe world as whole.Many efforts were made by the EU and other or-ganizations to develop interoperable ITS. Theseefforts include directive 2004/52/CE on the Inter-operability of Electronic Fee Collection Systemsin Europe and the DATEX standard developedfor information exchange between traffic man-agement centres. Thanks to increasingly powerfultransport systems and new political and legalframeworks, physical barriers are collapsing rap-idly along with administrative barriers in certaingeographical and economical spheres. It is nec-essary to avoid the occurrence of new interoper-ability problems. The world of transport is cur-rently not free from problems relating tointeroperability. This is a field where the multi-

national nature of the UNECE could be usefulwhen combined with the actions already under-taken by the EC and national Governments. Gapsneed to be identified and the UNECE, throughits bodies and legal instruments, could be proac-tive when it comes to filling in the missing links.

Issue 2. Fraud and violations in theuse of ITSIf ITS require automated charging for a service (i.e.in the case of ETC) several events may prevent thecorrect functioning of this proceedure. These in-clude incidents brought about by the user or thosecaused by the simple malfunctioning of the system,or parts of it. Depending on the case, the incidentcan either be classified as an error in the properfunctioning of the system, or as fraud. Fraud resultsfrom any act that avoids the electronic collectionof due fees through means prohibited by the rulesor laws applicable to the road network concerned,and is considered an offence. Systems need to berendered fraud resistant through technical meansand legal instruments and provisions. A sufficientlevel of enforcement services should also be putin place. If a system is not sufficiently fraud resist-ant, cases of inappropriate use may rise, threaten-ing the system’s proper functioning. If an interna-tional level of interoperability is required, then ahigher level of cooperation is needed from differentGovernments. Enforcement proceedures againstthose who violate standard proceedures shouldalso be possible at an international level.

Issue 3. Possible penetration in consumer marketsBuilding a business case for ITS is not alwaysstraightforward as it is not an easy task to quantifypotential benefits. Benefits are known from previ-ous cases - some of them are summarized in thisreport - but the task of promoting ITS benefits be-comes even more difficult if the effectiveness ofan application is not only subject to policy makingand/or decisions from public bodies and road op-erators alone, but also to penetration into the con-sumer market (i.e. in the case of cooperative sys-tems or on-board systems that are not mandatory).

Issue 4. Regional differencesIntelligent Transport Systems are reasonably com-mon in developed countries but still rare on theroads of emerging economies. This represents an

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5.2 Challenges

unfavourable trend in relation to the smoothing ofregional differences in the development of an in-ternational transport system. The UNECE will playa role in trying to adress this imbalance.

Issue 5. Security and privacyNew ITS tools need to be mindful of privacy issuesand require a reasonable minimum level of securityin exchanges of data, transactions etc.

Issue 6. Human factorAlmost all deaths and injuries that result from roadtraffic accidents are preventable and in most casesare caused by the reckless conduct and impairedjudgment of the driver. If a person drives a vehicleat a speed appropriate for current road conditions,wears a safety-belt and uses properly-fitted childrestraints, the number of deaths and injuries re-sulting from road traffic accidents can be signifi-cantly reduced.The introduction of new technologies - and ulti-mately the deployment of ITS in road traffic - isaimed at reducing the human factor (when negative)and accordingly human error. One such human fac-tor is the “rubber-necking” phenomena, or whenpeople who are looking at an accident lose concen-tration and have an accident themselves. IntelligentTransport Systems can help in the avoidance of suchaccidents. The objective of the design rationales of vehiclesand roads has been to remove as many unpre-dictable factors as possible. Vehicles and roads aretherefore becoming highly predictable environ-ments in which a driver is unlikely to encounterany unexpected events without receiving prior no-tification. As a result, drivers are increasingly oper-ating on lower states of alert and can be unpreparedfor dealing with any unexpected situation or dis-traction that may arise. In any case, even the mostadvanced technological road environment cannotcompletely rule out unpredictable situations.It is clear that drivers introduce a certain “risk factor”to the road environment when they perceive a situa-tion to be “safe”. When vehicles or roads are made“safer”, drivers will travel more recklessly. They willaccept the same amount of risk but change theirdriving approach in reaction to the increased safetylevel brought about by the new technical and tech-nological environment. Technical progress has itslimits in coping with the risk factors that humanerror introduces.Moreover, technology is not harmonized in all trafficsituations. Users that drive recklessly in a pre-dictable environment because they feel assisted by

technology (such as on a high-tech motorway) mightbehave in the same way in a less predictable envi-ronment such as on residential streets where chil-dren may cross roads (D. Engwicht, “Intrigue anduncertainty”, p.6).

Issue 7. Technology factorThere are numerous research initiatives currentlyunderway aimed at determining how physical in-frastructure improvements with a limited intro-duction of new technology can also improvesafety. Crashes can be reduced through engineer-ing techniques that incorporate better geometricdesign, more durable road markings, roadsidesigns with higher visability and road surfaces withincreased skid resistance. One of the measuresto help prevent road crashes caused by driversunintentially departing from the inside and out-side lanes is the installation of rumble strips thatcreate noise and vibration when a driver driftsoff the road onto the hard shoulder. A study con-ducted by the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA) of the United States on the installationof rumble strips has demonstrated that rumblestrips reduced fixed-object crashes and crashesin the opposite direction, both of which are verysevere and likely to result in injuries or death.The Lane Departure Warning (LDW) systems thatare installed on most recent vehicles do not leadto any benefits on roads where the correspondingstrips are missing. Therefore, the bad mainte-nance of road strips (or the total lack of roadstrips) could be fatal for drivers who rely on thisnew device, which is ineffective in these cases.Similar concerns are linked to braking devices.ABS, AEBS, ESC or BAS can be more effective ifskid-resistant road surfaces are deployed ubiqui-tously. Other downsides are linked to the vehicle’senvironment, namely to those Intelligent VehicleSystems (IVS) that are aimed at protecting vehicleoccupants. The less occupants are informedabout the proper use of their vehicle’s systems,the more they might constitute a threat ratherthan a protective measure. The increasing numberof on-board warning signals will eventually clashwith drivers’ limited abilities to perceive and pri-oritise these warnings. The WP.29 Informal Groupon ITS conducted discussions on the correct stan-dardisation of key aspects of ITS that will allowthem to be effective while avoiding the stifling ofthe development process or creating obstaclesto innovation and technical development. So-called “out-of-position” drivers and passengers(those seated in an unconventional manner) are


also a major source of potential road injury sta-tistics. Frontal or lateral impact protection hasbeen optimized by the presence of airbags. How-ever, these pieces of equipment were tested anddeveloped on the basis of dummies in standard-ized positions. In order to receive the best per-formance from these protective devices the oc-cupants should be seated in an arrangementsimilar to that of the tested dummies. When, forinstance, a driver has their forearm across thecentre of the steering wheel or the passenger onthe driver’s side has their head or other bodyparts too close to the panel where the air-bag is

located, a serious injury, or even death, can resultfrom air-bag deployment. Consequently, there isa downside to the strategy of trying to improvesafety by making an environment totally pre-dictable. Whenever humans are involved, it is im-possible to deliver the promise of total pre-dictability. Administrators and politicians shouldtake this into account when conceptualising anddesigning the future road environment. A holisticstrategy on ITS deployment should therefore in-volve educational programs directed at acclima-tising road users to the vehicle and road environ-ment of the future.

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This section contains the index of some examples of best practices, that are available inthe CD ROM attached to this document. The editorial team believed that a sufficientnumber of best practices is able to give a practical view of ITS, thus providing a suitable

base from which the Road Map can grow. It was decided that the collection of best practicesshould not be limited to those that the editorial team could collect. This section has thereforebeen specifically opened up to the suggestions of different stakeholders (authorities, roadoperators, or industry) or from other operators and experts, which are now - after the publicconsultation - included in the CD ROM.

Index

1. Free flow toll collection in Santiago - Chile

2. Safety Tutor - Italy

3. Deployment of speed control systems in Spain - Spain

4. Dynamic speed control in the conurbation of Barcelona - Spain

5 Hot Lanes in Washington State - USA

6. Lynx Mobile Mapper - Italy

7. Dynamic Lane on the A22 - Italy

8. Dedication of the traffic management centre in Switzerland - Switzerland

9. Geoweb - Italy

10. Topcon-Divitech - Italy

11. Geolocation of service vehicles - France

12. Transportation of hazardous goods in the Alpine area - Germany

13. Intermodality and parking facilities for HGVS along the Brenner Motorway - Italy

14. Travel Time Deployment in Madrid - Spain

15. European Union GNSS projects - Europe

16. ERA GLONASS: emergency call system on the roads - Russia

17. Tunnel Safety and innovation through tunnel simulators - France

18. Sochi 2014: ITS for the Olympic city - Russia

19. ITS for Moscow - Russia

20. Trans-Siberian Railway in 7 days - Russia


Some examples and best practices

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ABS Anti-lock Braking SystemACC Adaptive Cruise Control ADAS Advanced Driver Assistance Systems ADN European Agreement concerning the

International Carriage of DangerousGoods by Inland Waterways

ADR European Agreement concerning theInternational Carriage of DangerousGoods by Road

AEB Automatic Emergency Braking SystemsAEI Automatic Equipment IdentificationAETR European Agreement concerning the

Work of Crews of Vehicles engaged inInternational Road Transport

AGR European Agreement on MainInternational Traffic Arteries

AGTC European Agreement on ImportantInternational Combined TransportLines and Related Installations

AID Automatic Incident Detection AIS Automatic Identification SystemsAPC Automatic Passenger CountersASECAP European Association of Tolled

Motorways, Bridges and TunnelsASTM Autostrada Torino-Milano SpAAVI Automatic Vehicle IdentificationAVLS Automatic Vehicle Locating SystemBAS Brake Assist SystemsBCA Benefit-Cost AnalysisCP Contracting Parties CALM Continuous Air interface for Long and

Medium distanceCCISS Centro Coordinamento Informazioni

sulla Sicurezza StradaleCCTV Closed Circuit TelevisionCEDR Conference of European Directors of

RoadsCEN European Committee for

StandardizationCMBS Collision-Mitigation Braking systems CMR Contract for the International Carriage

of Goods by RoadCSI Container Security InitiativeDAB Digital Audio BroadcastingDATEX Standard for information exchange

between traffic control centresDBC Dynamic Brake ControlDG Directorate GeneralDGSA Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser DG TREN EC Directorate General for Energy and

Transport

DOT Department of TransportationDSRC Dedicated Short Range

CommunicationsDVB Digital Video BroadcastingEasyWay European Program for ITS Deployment

on TERNEATL Euro-Asian Transport LinksEBD Electronic Brake DistributionEC European CommissionECA Economic Commission for AfricaECDIS Electronic Charts Display and

Information SystemECE Economic Commission for EuropeECLAC Economic Commission for Latin

America and the CaribbeanEDI Electronic Data InterchangeEEC European Economic CommunityEETS European Electronic Toll Service EFTA European Fair Trade AssociationERTMS EU Rail Traffic Management System ES European StudyESC Electronic Stability ControlESCAP Economic and Social Commission for

Asia and the PacificESCWA Economic and Social Commission for

Western AsiaETC Electronic Toll CollectionEU European Union EVSC Electronic Vehicle Stability Control FCW Forward Collision Warning FCWS Forward Collision Warning Systems GDP Gross Domestic ProductGHG Green House Gases GIS Geographic Information SystemGNSS Global Navigation Satellite SystemsGPRS General Packet Radio Service GPS Global Positioning SystemGRE Working Party on Lighting and Light-

Signalling GRPE Working Party on Pollution and Energy GRRF Working Party on Brakes and Running

Gear GRSG Working Party on General Safety

ProvisionsGRSP Working Party on Passive Safety GSM Global System for MobileGSM-R Global Positioning System-RailwayGTRS Global Technical RegulationsHMI Human-Machine InterfaceI2I Infrastructure to Infrastructure I2V Infrastructure to Vehicle

List of acronyms

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IATA International Air Transport AssociationICAO International Civil Aviation

OrganizationICT Information and Communication

Technologies IEA International Energy Agency IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics

Engineers IETF Internet Engineering Task ForceILO International Labour Organization IMDG International Maritime Dangerous GoodsIMO International Maritime OrganizationIRTAD International Road Traffic and Accident

DatabaseIRU International Road Union ISA Intelligent speed adaptation or

intelligent speed adviceISO International Organization for

StandardizationITF International Transport Forum ITS Intelligent Transport Systems IVS Intelligent Vehicle Systems LDW Lane Departure WarningLDWS Lane Departure Warning Systems LED Light Emitting DiodeLiDAR Light Detection And Ranging NAIADES Navigation and Inland Waterway

Action and Development in EuropeOBU On-Board UnitOECD Organisation for Economic Co-

operation and DevelopmentOECD/RTR OECD Road Transport and Intermodal

Linkages Research ProgrammeReports

OICA International Organization of MotorVehicle Manufacturers

PDO Property Damage OnlyPIANC Permanent International Association

of Navigation Congresses PIARC World Road AssociationPM Particulate mattersPPP Public Private PartnershipPSAP Public Safety Answering Point RBDS Radio Broadcast Data System RD&D Research, Development and

DeploymentRDS Radio Data SystemRE ResolutionRFID Radio Frequency IdentificationRID Regulations Concerning the International

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by RailRIS River Information Services

RITA Research and Innovative TechnologyAdministration

RSU Road-Side UnitSALT Società Autostrada Ligure ToscanaSC.1 Working Party on Road TransportSC.2 Working Party on Rail TransportSIAS Società Iniziative Autostradali e ServiziSINA Società Iniziative Nazionali

AutostradaliSMS Short Message ServiceTC Technical CommitteeTCC Traffic Control CentreTCCs Traffic Control Centres TCS Traction Control SystemTEM Trans-European North-South

Motorway TEN Trans-European NetworkTER Trans-European Railways TERN Trans-European Road NetworkTHE PEP Pan-European Programme on

Transport, Health and EnvironmentTIC Traffic Information Centres TIM Tactical Incident MessageTIR Customs Convention on the

International Transport of Goodsunder cover of TIR Carnets

TLC Telecommunications NetworksTMC Traffic Message Channel TVMs Ticket Vending Machines UN United NationsUNECE United Nations Economic Commission

for EuropeUNFCCC United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate ChangeUNRSC United Nations Global Road Safety

Collaboration V2I Vehicle to Infrastructure V2V Vehicle to Vehicle VHF Very High FrequencyVMS Variable Message SignsVMT Vehicle Miles TravelledVRS Variable Reluctance SensorVTS Vessel Traffic Service WAP Wireless Application ProtocolWAVE Wireless Access in Vehicular

EnvironmentsWG Working GroupWHO World Health OrganizationWIM Weigh in Motion WLAN Wireless Local Area NetworkWP Working PartyYSWS Yellow Signal Warning System

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[1] Ben-Akiva Moshe, Meersman Hilde, Van de Voorde Eddy, Recent Developments in Transport Model-ling: Lessons for the Freight Sector, Emerald, UK, 2008

[2] Benefit-Cost Analyses of Onboard Safety Systems, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, seehttp://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/research-technology/tech/09-023-TB-Onboard-Safety-Systems-508.pdf, 30 November 2009

[3] Carsten Oliver, Lai Frank, Chorlton Kahryn, Goodman Paul, Carslaw David, Hess Stephane, SpeedLimit Adherence and its effect on Road safety and Climate Change - Final Report, University of Leeds,October 2008 see http://cfit.independent.gov.uk/pubs/2008/isa/pdf/isa-report.pdf

[4] Consolidated resolution no. 94/7 on the use of new Information technology in the field of transport,in European conference of Ministers of Transport, Annecy, [CEMT/CM(94)19/FINAL], 26 - 27 May1994

[5] Dalla Chiara Bruno, La sicurezza nei sistemi di trasporto terrestri: il ruolo della telematica, in dossier “Si-curezza nel trasporto delle merci”, U&C - Unificazione e certificazione, n. 9, LIII, UNI, Milan, October2008, pp. 28-33

[6] EasyWay PROGRAMME, EasyWay Improving the European Road System, The EasyWay ITS Work Pro-gramme for the Multi Annual Indicative Programme 2007-2009: Improving Safety and Mobility by In-telligent Network Operation and Traveller Services on the European Road Network, submitted byChairs of the Euro Regions, version 10 July 2007

[7] Economic and Industrial Research Department - Development Bank of Japan, Intelligent TransportSystems (ITS): Current State and Future Prospects, Research Report n. 52, May 2005

[8] Eliasson Jonas, Lundberg Mattias (Vägverket), Road pricing in urban areas, Transek AB, 2003

[9] ESCAP, Report of the UNESCAP regional forum of freight forwarders, multimodal transport operatorsand logistics service providers, Bangkok, 22 June 2007

[10] European Commission, A sustainable future for transport - towards an integrated, technology-led and user-friendly systems, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2009, see http://ec.eu-ropa.eu/transport/publications/doc/2009_future_of_transport_en.pdf.

[11] Federtrasporto, Centro Studi, I sistemi telematici per i trasporti: basi tecnologiche, architetture ed applicazioniin Tecnologie e trasporto merci, Rapporto 2007, Federtrasporto, Roma, 2007, pp. 39-80, seehttp://www.federtrasporto.it/attachments/035_Rapporto-2007.pdf

[12] Gianotti Edoardo, Intelligent transport systems and their implementation in road transport, in “UNECEWeekly”, Issue 288, 29 September - 3 October 2008

[13] Gianotti Edoardo, The stakeholder viewpoint: opportunities, boundaries and needs of ITS, in 1st EuropeanConference on Intelligent Transport systems, Taormina, 14-16 October 2008

[14] ISO 15623, Transport information and control systems Forward vehicle collision warning systems Per-formance requirements and test procedures, I ed. 2002-10-01, Ref. n. ISO 15623:2002(E)

[15] ISO/TC 204, Intelligent transport systems - Systems architecture - Use of “Process Orientated Method-ology”, March 2009

References

73

[16] Maes Willy, The Technological Challenge for the Deployment of European Road Transport Policy:Galileo applications and the ITS Action Plan, in Lectio magistralis - University of Messina-SINA, 15October 2008

[17] Marasco Luciano (Ministry of Infrastructures and Transports), Dalla Chiara Bruno (Politecnico di Torino-Dipartimento DITIC-Trasporti), ITS E-learning, Ministry of Infrastructures and Transports, Italy, 2006,see http://www.trasporti.gov.it/page/NuovoSito/mop_all.php?p_id=00248, 30 November 2009

[18] McDonald Mike, Keller Hartmut, Klijnhout Job, Mauro Vito, Hall Richard, Spence Angela, HechtChristoph, Fakler Olivier, Intelligent Transport Systems in Europe: opportunities for future research,World Scientific Ed., London, UK, 2006, ISBN 981-270-082-X, 2006

[19] MEET, Ministerial Declaration on Global Environment and Energy in Transport, MEET Conference, Tokyo15 - 16 January 2009, see http://www.mlit.go.jp/kokusai/MEET/documents/Ministerial_Decla-ration.pdf

[20] Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications Stockholm, Sweden, Point programme forimproving road traffic safety, 1999

[21] Molnar Eva, Alexopoulos Constantinos, ITS in urban transport: the challenges for the UNECE TransportDivision, in “Eurotransport”, Issue 5, 2008, pp. 26-29

[22] Molnar Eva, Becoming wise about ITS, in “Intelligent Transport”, Issue 1, s.d., ISSN 1757-3440, pp. 20-21

[23] OECD, Delivering the Goods - 21st century challenges to urban goods transport, ISBN 9264102809, OECDPublications, Paris Cedex 16, 2003

[24] OCDE, Sécurité routière - L’impact des nouvelles tecnologies, ISBN 926410323-6, OECD Publications,Paris Cedex 16, 2003

[25] PIARC, Technical Committee C3.3 Road tunnel operation, Integrated approach to road tunnel safety,ISBN: 2-84060-195-8, Paris, 2007

[26] Resolution 2003/1 on assessment and decision making for integrated transport and environment policy,in European Conference of Ministers of Transport, Council of Ministers - Brussels 23 - 24 April 2003 -CEMT/CM(2003)4/FINAL, 7 May 2003

[27] UNECE, UNECE Transport Review - Road Safety, First edition - New York and Geneva, November 2008,see http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/UNECE-Transport-Review-1-2008.pdf.

[28] UNI CEI, Telematica per il traffico ed il trasporto su strada - Norma quadro - Prospetto generale delleapplicazioni, riferimenti ed indirizzi normativi, in UNI CEI 70031, Allegato alla UNI CEI 70031 NormaQuadro, Milan, July 1999; eng. transl. Telematics for traffic and road transport - Framework standard- General prospect of the applications, references and regulatory addresses, in UNI CEI 70031 andAnnex to UNI CEI 70031 Framework Standard, Milan, July 1999


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[29] United Nations, Economic and Social Council, Report of the Joint Meeting of the RID Committee ofexperts and the Working Party on the transport of dangerous goods - Geneva 11 - 21 September2007 - ECE/TRANS/WP.15/AC.1/108/Add.3, 24 October 2007, seehttp://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2007/wp15ac1/ECE-TRANS-WP15-AC1-108a3e.pdf

[30] United Nations, Economic Commission for Europe, 1998 AGREEMENT (GLOBAL) - Consideration ofnew draft global technical regulations - Draft global technical regulation on electronic stability controlsystems - Submitted by the Working Party on Brakes and Running Gear (GRRF), Economic Commissionfor Europe, Inland Transport Committee, World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations,Geneva, 24-27 June 2008, see http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29/ECE-TRANS-WP29-2008-69e.doc

[31] United Nations, Kyoto Protocol - Reference Manual - on accounting of emissions and assigned amount,UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, s.l. 2008, seehttp://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/08_unfccc_kp_ref_manual.pdf

[32] United Nations, Kyoto Protocol to The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in TheMinisterial Conference on Global Environment and Energy in Transport, Tokyo, Japan, December1997, s.l., 1998, see http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.pdf

[33] World Bank, ITS for Developing Countries - Technical Note 1, Toshiyuki Yokota, 22 July 2004, seehttp://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTTRANSPORT/214578-1097078718496/20281380/ITSpercent20Noteper cent201.pdf

From the web:[34] http://www.euro.who.int/violenceinjury/injuries/20030911_1, August 2009, 30.11.2009

[35] http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/index_en.htm, 30 November 2009

[36] http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=557, 30 No-vember 2009

From the UNECE website:[37] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2006/sc1aetr/Pres3Kelly.pdf

[38] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29/ECE-TRANS-WP29-2008-69e.doc

[39] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29grrf/ECE-TRANS-WP29-GRRF-S08-inf09e.ppt

[40] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2007/wp29/ITS-15-05e.pdf

[41] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2009/wp29/ITS-17-02e.ppt

[42] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/sc1/ECE-TRANS-SC1-103-pres02e.pdf

[43] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/reviews/UNECE-Transport-Review-2.pdf

75

Pictures

1 Millennium Development Goal No. 7 ................................................................................................................232 United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon............................................................................................273 Reference manual of the Kyoto Protocol ..........................................................................................................274 Evolution of the operation with the involvement of ITS ............................................................................355 Examples of Traffic Control Centres (Autostrada dei Fiori and SATAP - Italy) ......................................366 Examples of Traffic Information Centres (DGT - Spain, ASPI - Italy) ........................................................367 Video camera for traffic monitoring with images transmitted

onto TCC’s video wall ..............................................................................................................................................378 VMS for lane management (left - ring road of Venice) and for traffic

information (right - near Imperia) ......................................................................................................................389 Equipment for the broadcasting of isofrequency traffic channel and bulletins

from the National Italian Traffic Information Centre (CCISS) ....................................................................3910 Road accident ............................................................................................................................................................3911 Equipment for speed enforcement on Italian motorways (ASPI) ............................................................4012 Winter maintenance operation in snow (SALT)..............................................................................................4013 Application of a traffic management plan (flow-chart) ..............................................................................4014 Contingency communication process adopted by Italian authorities

and road operators of ASTM-SIAS group ........................................................................................................4115 Web-based pre-trip information services (Top, left: weather information;

Right: traffic webcams)............................................................................................................................................4116 Car accident ................................................................................................................................................................4317 Digital Tachograph ..................................................................................................................................................4418 Stability control interventions for understeer and oversteer....................................................................4519 Concept of warning thresholds and warning threshold placement zones..........................................4520 Example of warning systems for blind spot detection ................................................................................4521 Example of road sign repetition on vehicle instrument panel through visual recognition

of the sign at the edge of the road. ....................................................................................................................4622 VMS for traffic control and communicating information to road users (A22 del Brennero) ..........4723 On-board instrument panel, displaying maximum allowed speed,

alert messages and information relayed by cooperative systems ..........................................................4724 Lanes dedicated to vehicles with On-Board Units for ETC

on Torino-Milan Motorway ....................................................................................................................................4825 Penetration of ETC on-board units in national markets ..............................................................................4926 Traffic Message Channel ........................................................................................................................................5027 Classification of the communication process ................................................................................................5028 Future communication systems ..........................................................................................................................50


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29 ITS in urban transport..............................................................................................................................................5130 Visual identification systems for security in port areas: reading and automatic processing

of container codes (based on fibre-optic technology, RFID etc.) ............................................................5231 Operational checks and inspection of both goods and vehicles in port areas: examples

of X/gamma ray systems used to detect smuggled materials, explosives etc. These systems are also used for customs clearance purposes. ................................................................53

32 Fire on a vehicle carrying dangerous goods ..................................................................................................5333 The “Palais des Nations” in Geneva......................................................................................................................5434 Transport on the UNECE website ........................................................................................................................5535 UN meeting room, Geneva ....................................................................................................................................5636 UNECE Working Parties on vehicle regulations within WP.29 ..................................................................5637 UN conference room, Geneva ..............................................................................................................................57 38 Effect of on-board ITS on human behaviour ..................................................................................................5839 Evolution of road sign harmonisation in Europe (1909-2009)..................................................................6040 Digital CMR - an example ......................................................................................................................................6241 VMS for dynamic use of emergency lane (A22 del Brennero) ..................................................................6542 Queuing at toll gates can be reduced thanks to ETC systems ..................................................................66

Credits for imagesAutostrada del Brennero - ItalyAutostrada dei Fiori - ItalyAutostrade per l’Italia - ItalyAutovie Venete - ItalyCostanera Norte S.A. - ChileDevelopment Bank of Japan DGT - SpainMinistry of Infrastructures and Transports - CCISS - ItalyPolitecnico di Torino at AudiPolitecnico di Torino and Elsag Datamat - Finmeccanica GroupPolitecnico di Torino at CRF (Fiat Group)SALTSATAPSIEMENSSINAUNECE website (hyperlink mentioned in the text)UNECE

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Strategic note


The main objective of the United NationsEconomic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) is to promote economic integra-tion. It brings together 56 countries,members of the European Union (EU),

as well as non-EU Western and Eastern Europeancountries, and member countries in South-EastEurope, Central and Western Asia and North Amer-ica. The Inland Transport Committee was createdin 1946 to facilitate the international movement ofpersons and goods by inland transport modes andimprove safety, environmental protection, energyefficiency and security in the transport sector tolevels that contribute effectively to sustainable de-velopment. Furthermore, UNECE administers theUnited Nations inland transport and vehicle agree-ments that have a global outreach.Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) have been onthe agenda of the Inland Transport Committee andits subsidiary bodies for many years. Already in 2003,the UNECE Inland Transport Committee recognizedITS as both a major challenge for future transportdevelopment and an opportunity to ensure mobilityin a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly way.The first UNECE Round Table on ITS in 2004 fo-cused on technological issues and called for moretechnical harmonization. Within their mandates, UN-ECE Working Parties have been working on a num-ber of ITS-related matters: for example, the WorkingParty on Road Safety (WP.1) is engaged in debateson liability concerns and is charged with maintain-ing, as well as modernizing the UN Convention onRoad Signs and Signals and the UN Convention onRoad Traffic (Vienna Conventions)1. Furthermore,it pursues the harmonization of variable messagesigns. The Working Party on the Transport of Dan-gerous Goods (WP.15) is examining how Telematicscan be used to enhance safety and security. Mean-while, the Working Party on Inland Water Transport(SC.3) works on River Information Systems and theWorking Party on Road Transport (SC.1) deals withthe Digital tachograph and e-CMR2. In addition, theWorld Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regula-

tions (UNECE WP.29) hosts a group of experts thatprovides general guidance on how to incorporateprovisions on intelligent vehicle systems into theUN Vehicle Regulations.The second UNECE Round Table on ITS held in2010 was organised on the occasion of the Interna-tional Transport Forum in Leipzig. This Round Tableshifted the focus from technology to policy issuesand discussed the legal, institutional and policy ob-stacles blocking faster deployment of ITS solutions.In 2010, the Inland Transport Committee emphasizedthe need to take actions in support of ITS applica-tions in a harmonized way and supported the launchof a strategic review on how Intelligent Trans-

port Systems can contribute to sustainable

transport and what role UNECE should play in

promoting the use of ITS solutions. The reviewbenefited from the support of many, but in particularof the government of Italy and the government ofthe Federal Republic of Germany. The result is theITS review package that consists of:• A background paper with primary objective

to share information (including best practices)and raise awareness about the values ITS so-lutions can deliver.

• This strategic note that attempts to identifythe main gaps in and impediments to thebroader use and faster dissemination of ITS ap-plications irrespective of which organizations,institutions or bodies can or will fill the gap.

• A Road Map that outlines the areas and liststhe activities UNECE can embark upon eitheras a continuation of on-going tasks or as newinitiatives.

The draft strategic note was subject to a broad-based consultation during which we received valu-able comments from Governments, businesses,international organizations, non-governmental or-ganizations, the academia as well as from individ-uals (the web-based public consultation was com-bined with bilateral discussions). These commentsare now incorporated both in the strategic noteand in the Road Map.

1. Introduction

(1) The Vienna Conventions are designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety(2) e-CMR Protocol: a Protocol which will ease international road freight and further improve good governance in road transport by allowing the use

of electronic consignment notes. This Protocol relates to the United Nations CMR Convention (Convention on the Contract for the InternationalCarriage of Goods by Road) signed in Geneva on 19 May 1956. It refers to various legal issues concerning transportation of cargo by road

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How UNECE can meet its commit-ments on ITS is discussed in the RoadMap, which marks the critical changefrom research to implementation. Itlays down concrete actions to be per-

formed in the future. It will represent the UNECEMaster Plan for global deployment of ITS and itwill give UNECE the opportunity to become theinternational platform for bringing together andharmonizing innovations, technological develop-

ments and regulatory framework.The UNECE vision on ITS, its commitment to pro-mote the use of information technologies in trans-port and overall its strategy have been shaped byconsiderations that are elaborated on in this strate-gic note. The note briefly assesses the challengesto the development of transport, the benefits ofITS, as well as the obstacles and impediments toits use. For easy reference it also reviews the re-lated UNECE activities.

2. The UNECE TransportDivision’s vision, commitmentand Road Map for ITS

Our visionThe convergence of the transport and communicationssectors is driven by innovations in information and com-munication technologies, and particularly by IntelligentTransport Systems. However, future inland transport sy-stems should be shaped not just by technologies, but alsoand primarily by the policy makers.UNECE as the centre of inland transport legal instruments,the secretariat to the World Forum for Harmonization ofVehicle Regulations (WP.29), to the UNECE Road SafetyForum (WP.1), to the global and regional intergovernmen-tal bodies on dangerous goods transport, further moreas the centre to promote pan-European and Euro-Asiantransport linkages, will • bring ITS to the policy makers agenda; and• contribute to filling the gaps and the elimination

of obstacles to a broader use of ITS solutions.

Our commitment to promote ITS• UNECE is a partner for addressing inland

transport issues from various fields in a harmonized way.

• UNECE is the forum that unites transport partners from all over the world.

• UNECE’s ITS activities will have an added value in communicating best practices and will serveas a platform for finding innovative solutions.

• UNECE encourages an open and transparent dialogue between Government regulators, technicalexperts and the general public, in order to ensurethat best safety and

environmental practices are adopted and economic implications are taken into accountin the development of regulations.

20 Global Actions for UNECE topromote the use of ITS1. Reaching a common definition on ITS.2. Harmonizing policies.3. Forging International cooperation.4. Facilitating inter-operability and the ITS architecture.5. Ensuring data security.6. Scaling up the work on ITS in all Working Parties

of the UNECE Inland Transport Committee (ITC).7. Promoting vehicle-to-infrastructure

communication.8. Promoting vehicle-to-vehicle communication.9. Fighting the road safety crisis.10. Addressing the liability concerns.11. Harmonizing Variable Message Signs.12. Making Transport of Dangerous Goods less dangerous.13. Integrating with Rail Transport.14. Integrating with Inland Water Transport.15. Enhancing the modal integrator’s role of ITS.16. Developing Cost-benefit assessment methodologies.17. Contributing to climate change mitigation.18. Launching analytical work.19. Contributing to capacity building, education and

awareness raising, with special attention to emerging economies.

20. Organizing the United Nations Annual RoundTable on Intelligent Transport Systems.

Transport cannot grow without limits,and definitely not in the old traditionalway. Adding a new lane in densely pop-ulated areas is already a problem. Fur-thermore, the political pressure on the

sector to become “green” questions the justificationof extensive growth and calls for more public trans-port instead of individual motor vehicles on theroad. If we take a longer term perspective, the lim-its to transport growth become even more obvious.Nonetheless, in many parts of the world transportinfrastructure is under-developed and large andsmall-scale investments are warranted to ensurethat the entire population is connected to publicservices and to the rest of the world.

Population and trade growth create huge de-

mands for personal and cargo mobility. Witharound 7 billion people today and predictions of upto 9 billion people by 2050, the enormous growth inpopulation has created an unprecedented demandfor personal mobility. Similarly, the 540 fold increasein the value of merchandise trade since the start ofthe steamship (representing about $13,000 billionUSD today, three times more than in the early1990’s) created a formidable demand for cargo mo-bility and freight transportation. Consequently,transport infrastructure and services have grown

extensively. However, even this growth is not ade-quate to meet the demand. In addition, it is not en-vironmentally, economically or socially sustainable.

Urbanisation. The geographical distribution ofthe population, trade and transport growth will gounder major changes, as well. Looking at the UN-DESA graph, consider the fact that 95 per cent ofthe world’s population will be living on only 10 percent of the land (World Bank) and predominantlyin cities. From a transportation perspective, movingbillions of people in mega-cities and meeting theirneeds in terms of supplies and public services willcall for exceptional efficiency improvements intransport and logistics. This will not be possiblewithout fundamental transport policy changes andultra-modern traffic management. Traffic conges-tion is not only a formidable problem in mega-cities, but also elsewhere. Congestion has becomea daily concern resulting in loss of time, and nu-merous other negative externalities (pollution, de-terioration of safety etc.). Congestion pricing hasproved to be an effective means for demand man-agement - especially when combined with othermeasures and investments in favor of public trans-port - and this transport policy and managementtool is the result of modern information and com-munication technologies.

Affordability. A country’s and its businesses’ ca-pacity to participate in the global supply chains ispartly determined by the available transport infra-structure and the border crossing conditions. Land-locked least developed countries are particularlyvulnerable and can be destined to remain margin-alized as they usually suffer not only of low-qualityinfrastructure at home, but also in their transitneighbors. Investments in transport infrastructurehave been a high priority not only for them, butalso in all other countries. However, only a fractionof the required investments have been accom-plished worldwide due to a lack of of availablefunds. The extended global financial and economiccrisis coupled with “weak sovereign and banking

sector balance sheets” (International MonetaryFund, IMF) further reduces the investment capacity


3. Transport growth reaches its limits...

1. World

Population

Prospects,

the 2010

Revision:

estimated

and projected

population

by major area,

medium

variant,

1950-2100

(billions)

1

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Af-fairs (UNDESA), Population Division (2011): World PopulationProspects: The 2010 Revision. New York

of countries and regions. In regions with high den-sities, land availability is a further limit to the ex-pansion of transport infrastructure. Better trafficmanagement assisted with Variable Message Signsand other ITS solutions can improve the through-put capacity of the existing infrastructure. In suchcases, ITS can be an alternative to capital expendi-ture. In addition, the effective implementation of“the user pays principle” through electronic tollcollection can be both a demand management tooland a way to recover part of the investment andmaintenance costs.

The vulnerability of global supply chains is aconcern all over the world. Natural disasters, ter-rorist attacks or other disruptions could severelyaffect the global supply chain at any time. After theJapanese earthquake and tsunami, the number of

cars manufactured worldwide is estimated to havedropped by up to 30 per cent. This resulted in thefurther decline of the GDP of many countries withan automotive industry, suppliers and vehicle man-ufacturers alike (IMF, World Economic Outlook:Slowing Growth, Rising Risks). The vulnerability ofthe transport portions of the global supply chainscan be reduced by improving not just the trafficflow, but also the real-time information flow and theinfrastructure and services resilience across the bor-ders. Still, ITS solutions face even more hurdles incross-border operations than in local applications.Notwithstanding the relevance and availability ofITS solutions, this issue is not yet a top priority onpolicy maker’s agendas. Therefore, it is high timeto bring ITS to the agenda of the international trans-port policy fora, as well as to the broader agendaof the economic debate.

ITS can bring solutions to many of the abovementioned transport issues. ITS can maketransport safer, cleaner, more secure, andmore reliable. ITS can improve traffic fluidity,traffic management, as well as demand man-

agement. It can be a tool to commercialize roadmanagement and bring a very different institutionalstructure to the transport sector. It can help coun-tries to leap-frog in development and reduce thevulnerability of transport infrastructure and serv-ices. ITS can offer new solutions, new opportunitiesand expand capabilities.

Leapfrogging. ITS is quite often seen as a privi-lege of the wealthy and a feasible investment onlyin high or middle income countries. Developingcountries are often considered to be at a disadvan-tage compared to more developed countries in re-gards to building basic infrastructure that providesthe foundation for economies and societies. Thisis largely due to the limited financial, technical andengineering resources that developing countrieshave access to. On the other hand, developing coun-tries do have certain advantages, including that ofbeing the “newcomer”. Nowadays, when new in-frastructure is constructed it can be combined with

highly advanced IT capabilities based on the needsof tomorrow. In other words, less developed coun-tries are not “stuck” with yesterday’s solutions.This represents a huge opportunity for installingelectronic infrastructure at the same time physicalinfrastructure is being constructed. This is far lessexpensive than retrofitting existing infrastructure. In addition, developing countries usually do nothave appropriate IT infrastructure. Consequentlythey are not trapped in outdated technology. Theycan also benefit from continuing and rapid cost de-crease in IT technologies. Building a new IT infra-structure from scratch is often less expensive thanupdating an existing system. Developing countriescan make immediate use of other systems like cel-lular telephones and the Internet, which are spread-ing rapidly in parallel. Finally, developing countriescan take advantage of IT and ITS products and ap-plications which have already been tested and de-ployed in developed countries, and which are nowmature, stable, well understood, and starting to be-come less expensive to acquire and operate.As a result, developing countries have the oppor-tunity to leapfrog directly to an ITS-enabled trans-portation infrastructure far more rapidly and farless costly than developed countries3.

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(3) World Bank, ITS Technical Note For Developing Countries

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4. ...but ITS can expand the transport sector’s limits

5. What is ITS?

ITS is not only an innovative transport tech-nology. It is a new way of living, a new busi-ness approach, and overall, a new culturefor all players. Every portion of the transportsector of the future will be a receiver and a

sender of information. Information can save lives,reduce congestion, emissions, and save energy. In-formation exchange will make life easier, safer andmore predictable for everybody. Information shar-ing will reduce the need for more investments ininfrastructure, because infrastructure will becomean “interactive object” that will transmit and receiveinformation. Therefore, the debate in a growingnumber of places, starting in mega-cities, will nolonger be about how much to expand infrastructureto serve the continuous increase in population, but

rather how to make the most use of the existinginfrastructure to better serve more people. Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastruc-ture (V2I) applications will help prevent crashes,enabling vehicles to act like nodes on a networkand to communicate with the surrounding environ-ment. V2V and V2I will be the tool for enhancedconnectivity, information, entertainment and safetyfor all inland transport modes.The Figure 2 illustrates the myriad of ITS applica-tions in our daily life. Obviously, there are far moreITS applications than a figure on paper can capture.Here we have included only some of the most em-blematic appearances to show that (i) they are nu-merous, (ii) they are various, and (iii) they are notaligned along only one specific theme.Intelligent Transport Systems can be a solution forlimits to transport growth - it expands these limits,optimizes efficiency and increases the effectivenessof existing transport infrastructure. ITS, therefore,can make the following possible:• Create a secure system that relies on gathering

and sharing real-time information to improvedetection and response to emergencies of anykind.

• Reduce the number and severity of accidents,saving thousands of lives.

• Contribute to safer vehicles and roads, withfewer and less severe crashes.

• Reduce congestion, which will save energy re-sources each year, and realize proportionategains in reducing emissions.

• Achieve “managed” transport networks andmore sustainable mobility.

• Facilitate remote access to reservation sys-tems and electronic payments.

• Facilitate the mobility of people and goods

2. What ITS

can do for

you?

2

Source: UNECE


Reaching equity. Do we all have access to mobilityin the same way? Definitely, not. In many countries,transport systems are still under-developed. Oncethey start to be built, the primary goal is usually toserve motorists, while little or no space is left forpedestrians. At the same time, public transport serv-ices are limited due to severe under-investment. Inaddition, in most places of the world, access-freepublic transport and infrastructure remains a dream.We know transport or personal mobility offers access

to work, education, health, culture, in sum, it offersaccess to opportunities. However, little attentiongoes to the 3 per cent of the world’s population thatis severely disabled in their mobility. This means thatunless the special mobility needs are addressed, theiraccess to work, and to a better life is limited. ITScould offer solutions leading to more equity amongindividuals. Furthermore, in most cases, the intro-duction of these technological changes could be vi-able even without subsidies.

e-TollsTraffic

Management

WeatherInformation

Variable MessageSigns

AdvancedIntersection

safety

DigitalTachograph

CongestionManagement

ERTMS

Advanced driversAssistance system

Advance emergencyBreaking system

E-call in roadcrash

Cargo Info

Lane departureWarning systems

84

6. ITS can contribute to thesolution of global issues6.1 ITS and Environment protection

6.2 ITS and public transport

Local pollution. Despite success in arrestingthe negative trends of air pollution, the chal-lenge remains huge, especially with regard

to noise pollution. In Europe, for example, a quarterof the population lives less than 500 meters from aroad carrying more than 3 million vehicles per year.Consequently, nearly 4 million life-years are losteach year due to pollution4. Climate change mitigation. Although transport isnot the primary global polluter, it is a considerablesource of Green House Gases (GHG) and withinthis of CO2 emissions. With the current rates ofemissions, CO2 concentrations will likely doubletheir pre-industrial level by the end of the 21st cen-tury. Clearly, any transport policy considerationsshould address climate change. Furthermore, trans-port decision makers need to be able to measuretraffic-induced Green House Gases. ITS solutionscan be instrumental in this regard, as well. For thisto happen, a lead agency or cooperation amongthe key stakeholders is warranted.The Ministerial Conference on Global Environ-ment and Energy in Transport (MEET), held in

Tokyo (Japan) in January 2009, as well as MEET2010, held in Rome (Italy) in November 2010,shared the long-term vision of the World Harmo-nization Forum of Vehicle Regulations (UNECEWP.29) in achieving low-carbon and low-pollutiontransport systems, which also ensure sustainabledevelopment. The ministerial declaration encour-aged countries to broaden the diffusion and trans-fer of existing technologies and encourage re-search, development and the deployment ofinnovative technologies and measures such asITS.More broadly, the draft decision of the CopenhagenAccord 2009, as well as the Cancun Agreement2010 within the framework of the United NationsClimate Change Conference (UNFCCC), recom-mend various approaches to climate change, in-cluding opportunities to use markets, enhance thecost-effectiveness, and promote mitigation actions.Imagine that the transportation sector succeeds inrenewing its technological base and managing itsgrowth in a climate-neutral way, while meeting themobility demand.

Making public transport available, afford-able and attractive is among the keytransport policy goals. ITS, with its ca-

pacity to bring real-time information to travelers,can be an important player in achieving this goal.

(4) UNECE publication: Transport for sustainable development in the UNECE region

that are crossing borders or can improve doorto door services.

• Enhance personal and cargo security on roadsor railway lines and at ports, and identify theexact location of freight as it moves from shipto rail or to truck on its way from manufac-turer to retailer.

• “Make” vehicles alert their drivers about pos-sible dangerous driving situations using in-ve-hicle technologies.

• Create access to mobility for those who findit hard today to move around.

• Accelerate economic development and caneven help leapfrogging, etc.

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Fuelled by the rapid advancement ofcomputer and information technologyand consumers’ demand for innovationand efficiency, ITS technologies willcontinue to improve and evolve at a

phenomenal rate, providing more services to thetransport industry. This new information andknowledge-driven economy is a reality and not justa fad. The benefits of deploying ITS technologiescould be significant, if a focused, systematic andincremental approach is taken.Governments have started turning to emerging andevolving technologies for solutions to help themmeet the many challenges and demands placed ontransportation systems.There are several (although still not a sufficientnumber of) examples where Governments startedlarge scale investments in ITS systems. In addition,even in this information age, these examples areoften isolated. A good example, although relativelyunknown internationally, is the project of the localWelsh Government (UK), which has awarded a fouryear contract for the management of 'intelligenttransport systems’, including telecommunicationsand tunnel systems for the entire motorway andtrunk road network in Wales. (30 June 2011, The

Guardian).

It is clear that innovative solutions are warrantedto solve many of the biggest problems of the trans-port sector and that ITS can be a solution or a cat-alyst for solutions. However, we also see that ITShas not attracted the interest of policy makers. Thequestion is why. In general, the main reasons whyITS is still not on the policy makers’ agenda can besummarized by the following: • ITS is still considered an innovative technol-

ogy, rather than an economic developmenttool.

• Few studies and analysis are available thatdemonstrate the return on ITS investment.Such studies and analysis are difficult to pro-duce, since the benefits of ITS differ from caseto case.

• The most well-known ITS applications tend tobe ones that are expensive and produce largelyqualitative results e.g. real time informationthat benefits a group of travellers. Given thefact that the results are predominantly quali-tative in nature often makes it difficult to jus-tify investments. Indirect benefits, such as sav-ings from non-expansion of infrastructure,decreased demand for hospital services andenergy savings with fewer emissions, shouldalso be taken into account when calculating


6.3 ITS and the Global road safety crisis

Following the declaration of the First GlobalMinisterial Conference on Road Safety heldin Moscow in November 2009, the United

Nations General Assembly declared 2011-2020 asthe “Decade of Action for Road Safety”, with thegoal to stabilize and then reduce the forecast levelof global road deaths by 2020. Since the first motor vehicle was put into operation,around 30 million lives have been lost in road trafficaccidents. Globally, 1.3 million people are killedon roads and 50 million more injured every year.Traffic accidents are often seen as personal andfamily tragedies, but in fact they are also tragic forsociety as a whole. Taking into account the direct

economic costs of road crashes alone, the costsare estimated to be around US$ 518 billion globallyevery year. At the same time, we should be realistic:with every day there are more people on the planetand they travel more. To address the global road traffic safety crisis,many more Governments are committed to takeactions than ever before in history. They will -hopefully - take a system approach and imple-ment the most appropriate policies and measures.To successfully combat the road safety crisis, itis imperative to put all resources to their maxi-mum use, including the mainstreaming of ITS so-lutions.

7. Why is ITS not adequatelyaddressed on the policy agenda?

3. Gaps and

stumbling

blocks in ITS

deployment

the overall benefits of ITS applications.• Lack of funding, especially in low-income

countries where ITS applications are consid-ered a luxurious investment creates formida-ble barriers.

• The lack of qualified staff with relevant skillsand knowledge creates constraints becausemore funds are needed to hire specialized staff.

• The lack of national and regional strategiesmeans no detailed path forward can be refer-enced.

Further on, we will explore the institutional divide,particularly the slow reaction and adaptation ca-

pacity of the public sector compared to the privatesector or businesses. For all the above mentionedreasons, ITS, despite all its values, is still un-

der-utilized. Convincing studies and analyses will make it pos-sible to show evidence of the worthiness of ITSand will help include ITS on the policy maker’sagenda. Facilitation work is needed to harmonize the sys-tems, analyse the benefits and the return on invest-ment and help Governments create their own na-tional or even regional strategies for ITS applicationand transport development.

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All ITS applications have one thing incommon - they change our way ofwork. They have an impact on organi-sational and institutional responsibili-ties and operations. Achieving appro-

priate governance of ITS is therefore a major factorfor its wide-scale deployment and is vital for securingthe full benefits of ITS and maximising returns oninvestment. While good governance is essential andits shortcomings create an overarching web of im-pediments, there are also several distinctive and veryspecific obstacles. ITS does not only fail to attractthe attention of politicians and transport policymakers in general, but it faces a number of obsta-cles to penetrate the transportation system. As awhole, we have attempted to collect and brieflyanalyze the different gaps and stumbling blocks inITS deployment, summarized in the Fig 3.

8.1 Lukewarm political will and limited publicunderstanding of ITS benefits

To meet the mobility demands of citizens andof businesses in a sustainable way is no longerpossible through traditional means, particu-

larly in the context of a one dimensional transportapproach. All economic, social and environmental

aspects must be considered and demands met in abalanced way, even as they continuously evolveover time and distance. This also requires a com-prehensive view of transport policies, as well as po-litical will and leadership. By focusing exclusively

8. Gaps and stumblingblocks in ITS deployment

3

Source: UNECE

Lukewarmpolitical will and limited

publicunderstanding

Lack of orlimited ITS

training

Lack of infrastructure

Questionof liability

Protectionof Private

data

Unresolvedfrequencyallocation

VMS notharmonized

Lack ofharmonized

policies

No commonlyagreed

definition

Differentspeed of thepublic and

privatesectors

Gaps andstumbling

blocks in ITSdeploymentInter-operability

Fragmentationof technicalstandards

on one aspect of sustainability, other dimensionsmay be worsened. Taking all effects into accountand realizing the importance of transport for all di-mensions of sustainable development can induceproperly designed policies5. It is critical to under-stand the benefits ITS can produce. Countries withhigh scores in the Global Innovation Index6 are usu-ally the high-income countries where ITS applicationis wide-spread. On the other hand, low income coun-tries struggling with basic infrastructure deliveryare delayed and further handicapped by lack of in-novations, as well as the limited or sporadic use ofITS. Therefore, it is important that ITS is no longertreated as a topic for “technical experts” only. Bothpoliticians and senior policy makers committed tothe sustainable development of their transport sec-tor and determined to assist their country to leapfrogin development, need to become familiar with strate-gic values of ITS solutions.In regards to transport, infrastructure developmentgets the most political attention. The reality, how-ever, is that transport funds are scarce and priori-tization is needed, as well as quick win solutionsthat cost the least and ideally produce the largest

returns. Effective prioritization requires soundknowledge about the impact of projects. The benefits and challenges of Intelligent

Transport Systems must also be understood by

the broader public in order to achieve a bal-

anced culture of innovation. This must be ac-companied by an enabling legal environment, com-bined with far-reaching strategies that couldsupport solutions on a political level. Cost-benefit assessment methodologies. Referringto cost-benefit analyses, much information is avail-able through the International Benefits, Evaluationand Costs (IBEC) Working Group7 of the UK andthe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) of North America. It is evident that moreknowledge in this area is needed and that cost-benefit analyses will have a major impact on thefuture of sustainable transport planning. Appraisalmethodologies for projects with ITS components,however, are relatively limited, despite being es-sential tools both for prioritization and for con-vincing policy options. Such methodologies wouldbe of special interest for Governments and policy-makers.


(5) UNECE Study: Transport for sustainable development in the UNECE region, 2011(6) See the Global Innovation Index INSEAD, as well as the Global Innovation Index by the Boston Consulting Group(7) See: http://www.ibec-its.co.uk

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8.2 Protection of private data

In many countries, privacy and security concernsare real or latent barriers to ITS deployment.All participants must have confidence that data

about their travel is kept safe from corruption, ac-cess to that data is suitably controlled, and in caseof abuse - e.g. in the form of “over-charging” for theuse of infrastructure - there is a reliable system toremedy the situation. Data security can be achievedthrough new, targeted legislation. New institutionsmay even be warranted. But above all, it is confi-dence that is required. The public’s confidence inboth society and the country’s general political sys-tem are pre-conditions for overall confidence indata security of ITS applications. The transportcommunity has the responsibility to share informa-tion about best practices in data security within thesector. However, political support and the role ofthe politicians are far from negligible. The protection of private data and securing thehighest security and reliability of ITS applications

is of major importance. It could be a potential showstopper because of potential high profile losses ofsupposedly secure data. The risk of identity theftfrom personal data loss has the potential for re-stricting the implementation of ITS. This is an areaalready under consideration by the European Com-mission as part of the ITS Directive and ITS ActionPlan. However, not much has happened at a pan-European level and even less at a global level.Regulations are required to also improve the humaninteraction with many in-vehicle information sys-tems. The rise in the use of smart phones as thedelivery and communications platform of choicepromotes even more unsafe driving practices, sincenomadic navigation devices are widely used with-out regulation or restriction. Given the fact thatsmart phones are also outside the attention of au-tomotive ergonomic experts, we can see new safetychallenges, e.g. through driver distraction, whichcould lead to road traffic crashes.

One of the biggest challenges is the differencebetween the speed of innovation andchanges in the public and private sectors.

While it is natural that the private sector leads theway in technological innovations, particularly inITS, the growing divide between the public and pri-vate sectors is becoming a serious stumbling blockfor future ITS deployment. The first issue is that roads and highways are usu-ally managed as part of the public sector. Virtuallyall countries suffer from under-investment to vari-ous degrees and in most middle-income countriesand in almost all low-income countries there is ahuge maintenance backlog. Given these burdens,it is understandable that ITS is not the top issue ontheir priority list. Further handicaps, such as non-competitive salaries and remuneration for staff canadd to de-motivation, bureaucratic delays and aver-sion to risk, which further impedes innovation. Luckily, even against this institutional backdrop,we have seen a growing number of best practices,especially in urban areas where public adminis-trations have demonstrated support for ITS appli-cations. We also see that one such best practicedovetails many more new experiments in intro-ducing ITS solutions. Nonetheless, the infrastruc-ture sector at large continues to lag behind whatis actually feasible through ITS, due to its very na-ture. At the same time, many ITS solutions requirecommunication not only between the vehicles, butalso between the infrastructure and the vehicles.Therefore, it is time to revisit the institutional de-velopment scenarios for road and highway man-agement and consider ways to improve their adap-tive and innovation capacity.Secondly, there are several concrete examplesdemonstrating that, at times, the automotive tech-nology offers more than what consumers can usedue to the lack of supporting services from the pub-lic sector. For example, consider the case of ECall.

ECall has been heralded as an innovative way todramatically improve road traffic safety. While theoverall aim is to prevent road traffic crashes, it isalso important to mitigate their impact, once theyhappen. How quickly an ambulance can be de-ployed and the effectiveness of the emergency med-ical service’s response is critical following a seriousaccident. The in-vehicle system can already be in-stalled. However, it is not enough to have vehicleswith this automatic calling device. The calls mustbe received, processed and the emergency servicesmust be mobilized. In other words, a whole set ofinstitutional and legislative steps have to be taken.In this regard, we could commend the bell-raisinginitiative of the European Commission with its rec-ommendation for ECall in September 2011. In thisrecommendation, it urges its member States to en-sure that the in-vehicle system is in place and de-signed to dial Europe’s single emergency number112 in case of a serious road traffic crash and com-municate the vehicle’s location to the emergencyservices. The Commission’s aim is for a fully functional ECallservice to be in place all over the European Union(as well as Croatia, Iceland, Norway and Switzer-land) by 2015. Once achieved, it will definitely marka huge step forward in mitigating the impact ofroad crashes. At the same time, it will not be aneasy task to launch the ECall system and ensureits smooth functioning. For this, many nitty-grittytechnical, institutional and financial details willhave to be worked out. To address privacy con-cerns, the ECall system does not allow the trackingof vehicles, so it ‘sleeps’ and does not send anysignals until it is activated by a crash. Currently,only 0.7 per cent of all passenger vehicles in theEU are equipped with automatic emergency callsystems, with numbers barely rising. These propri-etary systems do not offer EU-wide interoperabilityor continuity.

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8.3 Different speeds of the public and private sectors

Intelligent Transport Systems integrate informa-tion and communication technology betweenvehicles, transport infrastructure and the user.

But ITS is more than just technology. ITS is the“heartbeat” of future enhanced mobility, bringingin a new culture for doing business and new toolsthat will enable Governments to accomplish ob-jectives to build more sustainable, efficient andhigher quality transport services.Today, a clear, globally-shared definition of ITS ismissing. One of the latest opinions that emergedamong experts is that devices such as electronicstability control systems, anti-braking-systems,airbags and even lane departure warning systemscannot be considered ITS technologies but ratherIntelligent Vehicle Systems (IVS), because they areconfined to vehicles. ITS should be seen at the topof the technological hierarchy in an integrated ar-chitecture, able to channel the performances ofIVS and achieve the best results in terms of safetyand pollution reduction. See more definitions inthe following Box.

Information and Communication Technologies(ICT), which are often internationally referred toas ITS with regard to road transport, represent awide range of organizational and technology-basedsystems that are designed to facilitate the processof evolution toward more efficient and seamlesstransport systems with fewer bottlenecks, randomqueuing and optimized pathways. Some examplesof efficient ITS applications are road pricing, eco-driving or variable message signs. However, whatdoes ITS actually mean?Although it is widely shared among transport policythinkers that the future is inter-modal transport andthat ICT application is a general integrator of modes,what we see is that the different modes of transportdevelop their own ICT applications embedded indifferent technological and technical bases, namethem differently (e.g. river information systems, railtraffic management systems, ITS etc) and leave theirintermodal connections totally out of their horizon.This creates compatibility and inter-operability prob-lems not only within, but also across the modes.


8.4 Lack of a commonly agreed definition for ITS

Different definitions for ITS

• Applying ICT to transport (EU).• To add ITC technology to transport infrastructure

and vehicles (Wikipedia).• A system that integrates information and

communication technology with transport infrastructure, vehicles and the user (ERTICO).

• A combination of Information Technology and telecommunications, allowing the provision of on-lineinformation in all areas of public and privateadministration (ITS United Kingdom).

• Utilizes synergistic technologies and systems engineering concepts to develop and improve transportation systems (Intelligent Transportation Systems Society).

• Includes telematics and all types of communications in vehicles, between vehicles, and between vehiclesand fixed locations / Not restricted to Road Transport(The European Telecommunications Standards Institute - ETSI).

• A system that capitalizes on leading-edge IT to support the comfortable and efficient transportation of people and goods. Its aim is to achieve a quantumleap (safety, efficiency, comfort) (ITS Japan).

• The application of advanced and emerging technologies (computers, sensors, control, communications, and electronic devices) in transportation to save lives, time, money, energyand the environment (ITS Canada).

Granted, ITS usage is very low compared toits potentials, there are already many dif-ferent applications around the world like

adaptive traffic management systems, traffic con-trol centers, variable message signs, radio commu-nication, the digital tachograph, advanced driverassist systems, toll charging and so on. However,systems in use across different parts of the worldremain incompatible and fragmented. This be-comes problematic since vehicles travel across re-gions and national borders and therefore interop-erability becomes essential not only within nationalfrontiers, but also across regional trade blocks andinternationally, at large. Road infrastructure is predominantly in the handsof public administrations, therefore, this part ofthe sector is largely not exposed to market con-ditions. As demonstrated ealier, it is not obligatoryto innovate and to apply ITS solutions to offer abetter service for road users. However, the trendto commercialize road management, especiallywith electronic pricing, is changing the game tode-monopolization. While this could lead to betterinformation, services and seamless transport, aparallel running and disconnected road manage-ment landscape would undermine the desired ben-efits of ITS. In the United States of America, theITS architecture was designed before beginningITS deployment. The US Federal Highway Admin-istration introduced a principle requiring any newservices developed and marketed to be compati-ble with the architecture. A different approachwas pursued by the European Union, which fo-cused on the facilitation of the ITS business as awhole. It is only recently that an architectural

framework at the EU-level is under discussion. Looking at the UNECE region, which includescountries in North America, Europe and CentralAsia, harmonization of ITS requirements is war-ranted across the borders, particularly in the con-text of the Euro-Asian transport linkages. Failingto do so would result in the promotion of ITS ap-plications without internationally agreed-upon stan-dards. This in fact could prove to be an obstacleto further development. It could also become a toolfor neo-protectionism. Therefore, perhaps thebiggest challenge today is to avoid the myriad ofincompatible applications. Many of us may recallthat in the early nineties the road transport industrycried out for improving the conditions at bordercrossings. At that time, long waiting times at theborders and the desperate attempt to raise politicalawareness gave birth to the slogan that the iron-curtain had been replaced by a paper-curtain. Sim-ilarly, unless there are standards and/or appropriateITS architecture, we are soon going to enter theage of the “electronic curtain”. The threat posedby a lack of inter-operability and compatibility inITS may be several times greater than the problemswe can see today in the railways where hundredsof technical issues have yet to be harmonized. The development of standards and agreements be-tween neighbouring countries on common archi-tecture are both difficult and time-consuming ex-ercises. While waiting for them, there is still ampletime for harmonizing ITS policies and for the ex-change of experiences and best practices, sincewe know that harmonization and regulation arekey to enabling interoperability in order to unleashthe potentials of ITS.

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8.5 Inter-operability continues to be an issue

Agrowing number of the UNECE memberStates are intensively developing and imple-menting innovative technologies in various

transport fields. Given that the design and industrialdevelopment cycle of innovative technologies isshorter than the policy cycle for such innovation,regulatory authorities should speed-up their effortsto maximise the potential offered by implementa-tion. Some of these efforts remain in the domainof national legislations thereby missing institutionalcoordination among other countries. Accordingly,this implies a lack of coordinated cost benefit analy-sis, which hampers the deployment of those inno-

vative solutions having the highest benefits for abroad community. Ultimately this results in addi-tional costs for customers.The use of ITS architecture, like in North Americaand Canada, is a strategic way to integrate ITStechnologies and bring key stakeholders together.It serves as a critical framework or tool to addressmany of the complex transportation challenges, in-cluding congestion and road fatalities. The use ofITS architecture should be seen as a planning tooland its benefits must be better understood. TheEuropean Union is taking its first steps in this di-rection through its ITS Directive8.

In spite of the significant work that has beendone so far to accommodate ITS related appli-cations in a common frequency band in several

regions around the world. Further discussions areneeded to reach global agreement under the aegisof the International Telecommunications Union. Inorder for ITS applications to have the widest pos-sible coverage, experts suggest a special frequency

band should used as a global platform, includingespecially a dedicated channel for safety-relatedapplications once these become available. Coun-tries/regions that have not yet agreed on which fre-quency band should be used for ITS applicationsare encouraged to harmonize towards 5.9 GHz.This seems to be the most feasible solution formost of the stakeholders.


(8) Directive 2010/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2010 on the framework for the deployment of intelligent TransportSystems in the field of road transport and for interfaces with other modes of transport (OJ L 207, 6.8.2010)

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In the field of railways, the fragmentation oftechnical standards increases the cost of doingbusiness because potential economies of scale

in the manufacturing of rail vehicles and rail oper-ations cannot be fully captured. At this point wehave not yet seen the intermodal connections. Similarly, most nations still have their own uniqueautomotive safety and environmental regulations. Asa result of this regulatory diversity, a hot-selling carin one market simply cannot be sold in other markets;and a car certified as having met all regulations inthe United States cannot obtain approval for sale inother nations without incurring substantial additional

costs. Looking ahead, technical changes in the auto-motive industry will occur at a dizzying pace as a re-sult of consumer preferences for new vehicles (en-ergy efficient and safer) and stricter environmentalstandards, among other things (e.g. climate changemitigation). Manufacturers want to sell common plat-form vehicles globally, and will expect to do so effi-ciently (e.g. avoiding having to achieve compliancewith different standards or regulations market bymarket). A workable, inclusive process for estab-lishing standards must keep pace with the new tech-nologies that the industry’s emphasis on differenti-ating technology will most likely create.

8.6 Fragmentation of technical standards

8.7 Lack of harmonized policies

8.8 Frequency allocation

While driver assistance systems contributeto intelligent and efficient transport, as wellas cleaner and safer mobility, they also in-

troduce new questions. For example, if an assistancesystem fails and a crash occurs, who is legally liable?In many countries, the law clearly states that the li-ability of driving remains exclusively with the driver.Does the existence of such laws indicate we are al-ready operating on thin ice with driver assistancesystems that handle parts of the driver’s responsi-bilities? Further research and clarification also needsto be made with respect to international law. It appears there is the need to reflect technologicalchanges in legal instruments, such as the 1968 Vi-enna Convention9. For the time being it may bepremature to change the Vienna Convention, be-cause at this stage technology is not replacing thedriver, but rather assisting the driver. However, as

future driver assistance systems advance, more im-plications for liability will emerge with the morewidespread implementation of intelligent systems.This aspect strongly demonstrates the connectionbetween technology and society. With innovativetransport technologies we can achieve major break-throughs in road safety which will have a direct ef-fect on society. Therefore, the policy level - com-bining all relevant sectors and disciplines in agovernment - must find answers to many emergingissues, like for example the liability questions. Justimagine future driver assistance systems that au-tomatically stop the vehicle when approaching astop sign and their amazing impact on road safety.But also imagine the many implications that areconveyed with this intelligent system.Technology can increase safety, but who is liable ifit fails.

(9) The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic is an international treaty designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety bystandardising the uniform traffic rules among the contracting parties. The Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals is an internationaltreaty designed to increase road safety and aid international road traffic by standardising the signing system for road traffic (road signs, trafficlights and road markings) in use internationally

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8.9 Question of Liability

Investment in infrastructure can introduce un-usually high returns because it increases peo-ple’s choices: of where to live and work, what

to consume, what sort of economic activities tocarry out, and which other people to communicatewith. Some parts of a country’s infrastructure maybe a natural monopoly, such as water pipes. Others,such as traffic lights, may be public goods. Somemay have a network effect, such as telephone ca-bles. Each of these factors has encouraged Gov-ernment provision of infrastructure.As an example, despite the increasing capabilitiesof electric vehicles, the lack of a cohesive recharg-ing network has continued to impede their accept-ance into the mass consumer market, creating a“chicken and egg” scenario. Electric vehicles at themoment do not have a long 'range' and a majoroverhaul of power supply infrastructure will be re-quired to make electric cars convenient for con-sumers. The effective implementation of unifiedrecharging networks and global harmonized initia-tives, coupled with the latest developments incharging technology, will make the transition tolow-carbon vehicles a reality. Likewise allocationof funding for fueling hydrogen powered-vehiclesand fuel cell technology should be provided.High-speed rail networks could provide a carbon-

friendly substitute to more traditional rail trafficand provided the added incentive of relieving roadtraffic. Yet railways are still highly concentratedon only a few networks and many of them need tobe electrified. Most railway traffic (freight and pas-senger) can be found on only six networks: NorthAmerica (freight oriented), China, India, Russia,Japan (passengers) and the European Union. Road operators have many decades of experiencein road management, so they definitely representa body that is to be on the front line when safetyis the issue at stake. Moreover, in the last 10-15years of ITS expansion, road operators have im-plemented a wide variety of technological ele-ments, contributing to the creation of “intelligentinfrastructures”. This allows road operators tohave constant real-time data on traffic and roadconditions. This data, processed and analysed invarious manners, proves to be fundamental fordetermining specific improvements for roadsafety from the infrastructural point of view. Inaddition, roads are constantly monitored throughITS tools that enhance the data and providetimely support in case of an incident.To improve the existing intelligent infrastructures,road operators are also looking at cooperative sys-tems to create communication capabilities that

8.10 Lack of infrastructure

would not only be from the infrastructure to thedrivers (e.g. VMS), but also from the drivers withinthe vehicle (vehicle/driver to infrastructure). Fur-ther communication capabilities will be neededconcerning refuelling/recharging facilities, secure

parking places, inter-modal connections, as wellas real-time information about potential delays etc.This would further enhance the way ITS con-tributes to safety, allowing seamless communica-tion between vehicles and the road operators.


(10) UN Regulation No. 83, Emission of pollutants according to engine fuel requirements, for passenger cars (vehicle category M1) and light dutyvehicles (vehicle category N1)UN Regulation No. 49, Emission of pollutants, for all other vehicle categoriesUN GTR No. 2, Measurement procedure for two-wheeled motorcycles equipped with a positive or compression ignition engine with regard to

the emission of gaseous pollutants, CO2 emissions and fuel consumption

UN GTR No. 4, Test procedure for compression-ignition (C.I.) engines and positive-ignition (P.I.) engines fuelled with natural gas (NG) or

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8.11 Lack of or limited ITS training

There is a lack of skills and training of labourin the transport sector. Limited cooperationand communication between science, uni-

versities, Governments and industry leads to un-necessary blockages and stagnation. These gapsneed to be overcome through holistic approachesand more engaged cooperation. Education is the key to innovation. Today’s worldhas demonstrated an extremely fast innovation

speed, and universities, science and Governmentsneed to provide the basis for education in innova-tion. At the same time, the public should be betterinvolved, for example, through campaigns such asthe eco-driving initiative. There is a need to inform the public on what thefuture of transport will look like in order to fosterthis new culture - to keep the public abreast, toplant understanding and to gain acceptance.

8.12 Non-harmonised Variable Message Signsdecrease safety on the roads

Road signs and signals are important elementsof traffic management, regulation, informa-tion and warning. Their harmonised use is

based on the 1968 UN Convention on Road Signsand Signals and the UN Convention on Traffic Signsand Signals. With new technologies, and particularlywith the development of ITS, advanced traffic man-agement systems increasingly use variable messagesigns (VMS), both to provide information and toadapt traffic management to actual demand. Similarly to conventional road signs and signals,VMS need to be understood by all road users whomay be locals and foreigners. In addition, thereneeds to be continuity and consistency in road op-erations from one country to another. Mobility im-plies timely and reliable communication of unex-pected hindrances, information about adverse

weather conditions and potential alternative routes.Therefore, the delivered message must be clear,universal and easily understood in an internationalcontext.Drivers receive information via variable messagesigns in cities and on motorways. Since technologyadvances much faster than public services and reg-ulations, it often happens today that the same mes-sage is communicated in different forms; or evenworse, conflicting messages could be communi-cated (such as one message instructing drivers toproceed ahead, while another message urges thedriver to exercise caution). These inconsistenciescould create distractions, raising the level of riskassociated with driving, resulting in more trafficaccidents. What can prevent these occurrences isan increased effort on international harmonization.

liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with regard to the emission of pollutants

UN GTR No. 5, Technical requirements for on-board diagnostic systems (OBD) for road vehicles(11) UN GTR No. 8, Electronic stability control

UN Regulation No. 13, Heavy vehicle breaking

UN Regulation No. 13 H, Brakes of M1 and N1 vehicles

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The World Forum for Harmonization of Vehi-cle Regulations (WP. 29) is a key player andhas a unique role in the development and

updating of worldwide harmonized regulations forthe construction of road vehicles and brings themto the level of technical progress. These regulationsare aimed at: (a) Protecting the environment. (b) Promoting energy efficiency. (c) Improving the safety of new vehicles. (d) Providing uniform conditions for the periodi-

cal technical inspections of vehicles in use.By developing performance requirements for in-novative vehicle technologies and conditions fortheir mutual recognition, the World Forum con-tributes to a rapid introduction of innovative vehi-cle technologies into the global market.The World Forum has adopted a number of Regula-tions to limit the emission of harmful pollutants (CO,HC, NOx and particulates). Thanks to on-board di-agnostic systems (OBD) in vehicles, real time datahelp in the rapid identification and remedial actions

for the vehicle during its whole life cycle. Timely up-dates of the relevant UNECE Regulations10 have re-sulted in 95-97 per cent lowering of the emission lim-its for CO, HC and NOx for new private passengercars, as compared to the limits established in the1970s. This means that the latest UNECE emissionlimits for these pollutants are more than 20 timeslower today than those established 40 years ago. UNECE promotes other intelligent technologies,such as tyre pressure monitoring systems and cruisecontrol, is involved in Regulations on “zero emissionvehicles” and in 2010 adopted the first internationalregulation on safety for fully electric and hybridcars. This landmark decision facilitates the earlyintroduction of safe and clean electric cars on roadsworldwide. UNECE has also made considerablecontributions to safer vehicles. Current researchshows that electronic stability control systems11

that have been incorporated in UNECE legal instru-ments since 2008 are a mature technology that couldhave the most significant life-saving potential sincethe advent of the seat belt.

9.1 In-vehicle

The main objective of the UNECE Trans-port Division is to facilitate the interna-tional movement of persons and goodsby inland transport modes. It aims to im-prove competitiveness, safety, energy ef-

ficiency and security in the transport sector. At thesame time, it focuses on measures to reduce the ad-verse effects of transport activities on the environ-ment and contributes effectively to sustainable de-velopment. For more than six decades, the UNECEInland Transport Committee (ITC) has provided amajor intergovernmental platform for cooperationto facilitate and develop international transportand improve its safety and environmental perform-ance. The main result of this critical work is re-flected in more than 50 international agreementsand conventions, which provide a legal frameworkfor the development of road, rail, inland water andintermodal transport, as well as dangerous goodstransport and vehicle construction. UNECE collaborates closely with other stakehold-ers, such as the European Commission, the Inter-

national Transport Forum, ITS Europe (ERTICO)and others with whom it shares a common goal toimprove transport efficiency and road safety. Already in 2003, the ITC felt that the use of ITS mightbecome an issue that could pose a major challengein the future, or possibly change the direction of itswork. This led to the organization of the first RoundTable on ITS under the aegis of the World Forum forHarmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) in 2004.This event represented the first step in the develop-ment of the UNECE strategy on legislative aspectsand practical implementation of ITS. While ITS is notexplicitly part of the Forum’s remit, ITS technologiesare increasingly considered in relevant areas. Exam-ples include on-board diagnostics, anti-lock brakingsystems, adaptive lighting and electronic control sys-tems among others. A number of other subsidiarybodies of the UNECE Inland Transport Committee(Working Parties, Expert Groups, etc.) have beenworking on different aspects of ITS implementation.A brief summary is given below just to highlight pastachievements and on-going activities.

9. UNECE’s support for ITS

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)represent important improvements in vehiclesafety. To optimize their potential, the World

Forum established an ITS Informal Group in 2002to consider the necessity of the regulatory frame-work of ADAS, which are becoming more commonin vehicles. Among those improvements is an ex-

change of data between vehicles through wirelesstechnology, vehicles with the “brake in case of emer-gency” feature, advanced cruise control systems,etc. These important new features aim to improveroad safety, mobility and efficiency of traffic. Thenew regulation on Advanced Emergency BrakingSystem is also expected to be adopted.


(12) The Digital Tachograph monitors the driving and rest periods of professional drivers engaged in international transport under the ContractingParties to the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport (AETR) and relevant EURegulations

(13) AETR = European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport

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9.2 Vehicle to vehicle

The development of provisions for ADAS, suchas lane departure warning systems, are ex-pected to be finalized in the form of new UN-

ECE Regulation. Impact assessments made by theEuropean Union show that the mandatory introduc-tion of these devices could save around 5,000 lives

and prevent 35,000 serious injuries per year acrossits 27 member States. Furthermore, many other ITSsystems for vehicles, such as cruise-control, on-boarddiagnostics, adaptive front-lighting system and cor-nering lamps have already been introduced in vehicleregulations developed by the World Forum.

9.3 Vehicle to infrastructure

UNECE is also promoting the use of ITSthrough its Working Party on Road TrafficSafety (WP.1), which develops and harmo-

nizes traffic regulations and rules for road signsand signals.UNECE is determined to be a frontrunner for in-novative policies to ensure road safety and sus-tainability in all aspects. In the context of offeringbest practices and solutions for a safe and seamlessmobility, the UNECE Working Parties are mandatedto seek multiple synergies to maximize the benefitsof legal instruments. The UNECE Road Safety Fo-rum (WP.1) has established an informal group ofexperts on Variable Message Signs to ensure theharmonization process is accelerated. It works withthe expert group of the pan–European project Easy-way, whose studies and operative deployment of

VMS have paved the way for potentially updatingthe relevant legal instruments, the Vienna Conven-tions or alternatively, making amendments to theConsolidated Resolution on Road Signs and Signals(RE.2). The Expert Group works on the definition,use and operative criteria to harmonize and setcommon standards to keep cohesion between theposted (non-variable) and electronic (variable)signs.The Working Party is also following and guidingthe introduction of the digital tachograph12 devicethat became mandatory for non-EU AETR13 Con-tracting Parties, i.e. at the pan-European level, in2010. The sole aim of the tachograph is to improvethe working conditions of the driver and enhanceroad safety through better enforcement of drivingand rest periods.

9.4 Road Safety and Road Transport

In the area of transport of dangerous goods, UN-ECE has started to consider how ITS applica-tions such as telematics could be used to facil-

itate transport of dangerous goods and improvesafety and security by using monitoring and track-ing systems linking consignors, transport operators,emergency responders, enforcement and controlauthorities and regulators. The objective is to determine which systems couldbe standardized for multimodal applications in thetransport of dangerous goods and to proposeamendments to the relevant legal instruments to

regulate the use of telematics and to require nec-essary equipment in transport units used for thecarriage of dangerous goods.A final document indicating how telematics couldbe used for the purpose of the implementation ofthe various requirements contained in the inlandtransport of dangerous goods was adopted in 2010.In further steps, experts will debate how informa-tion can be provided by telematics, decide on nec-essary parameters, procedures, responsibilities,control of access to data and interfaces; and carryout a cost/safety benefit analysis.

(14) UNECE White Paper on efficient and sustainable inland water transport in Europe (ECE/TRANS/SC.3/189), paras. , New York and Geneva2011, page 55-56

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9.5 Transport of Dangerous Goods

The Working Party on Intermodal Transportand Logistics (WP.24 and its predecessors)has provided a forum for the exchange of

technical, legal and policy information, best prac-tices in combined and intermodal transport at the

pan-European level since 1951. ITS is supposed tobe the general integrator of modes in addition tothe many other benefits it brings. Therefore, WP.24has dedicated the year of 2012 to ITS and to identi-fying areas of actions in its support.

9.6 Intermodal Transport

Inland water transport often offers superiorsafety, good reliability, low costs, energy effi-ciency, a smaller carbon footprint, low noise

levels, and low infrastructure costs. It also offersincreasingly more efficient opportunities for su-pervision through tracking and tracing systemsmade possible by the use of River Information Serv-ices (RIS) - an intelligent transport system for in-land water transport14.River Information Services represent a harmo-nized information service aimed at facilitating in-formation exchange between parties in inlandnavigation (boatmasters, lock/bridge operators,waterway authorities, terminal operators, opera-tors in emergency centres, fleet managers, cargoshippers, consignors, consignees, freight brokersand supply forwarders) using a variety of avail-able technological solutions (VHF radio, mobiledata communication services, Global navigationsatellite system, internet, etc.). This facilitatedexchange of traffic-related information con-tributes to the safety and efficiency of Interna-

tional Warehousing and Transport operations.To ensure the introduction of RIS services in a har-monized way at the pan-European level, UNECEResolution on “Guidelines and Recommendations

for River Information Services” sets up the princi-ples and general requirements for planning, imple-menting and operating RIS and related systems. TheGuidelines are revised regularly to take into accountthe progress in developing and implementing RISand information technologies in general. River In-formation Services Guidelines are used in conjunc-tion with other, more specialized UNECE resolutionson the different components of RIS, such as Elec-tronic Chart Display and Information System for In-land Navigation, Standard for Notices to Skippersand for Electronic Ship Reporting in Inland Naviga-tion, Guidelines and Criteria for Vessel Traffic Serv-ices on Inland Waterways and International Standardfor Tracking and Tracing on Inland Waterways usingthe Automatic Identification System.The UNECE “White Paper on efficient and sus-

tainable inland water transport in Europe” calls

9.7 Inland Water Transport

on Governments, river navigation commissions, in-ternational organisations and the inland navigationindustry to “promote the use of River Information

Service and other information communication

technologies (ICT)”, proposes a series of UNECEactions in this area, and encourages other uses ofICT for facilitating IWT operations and inspectionsof inland navigation vessels.


(15) United Nations Development Account (UNDA) project on the Development and implementation of a monitoring and assessment tool for CO2emissions in inland transport to facilitate climate change mitigation, see: http://unece.org/trans/theme_forfits.html

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9.8 Rail Transport

Interoperability of telecommunications in rail-way operations is important for all countries inthe pan-European region. In fact, it aims to im-

prove rail infrastructure and the efficiency of rail-way operations, thus ensuring that the railway sec-tor contributes to sustainable transport. Thenecessary harmonization efforts have taken placemainly in the countries of the European Union andthe European Free Trade Association.

However, the intelligent transport systems adoptedby the EU and EFTA countries are not interoperablein the entire UNECE region. In other words, the ITSstandards for rail operations in non-EU sub-regions(mainly Eastern Europe and Central Asia) are notdirectly compatible with the EU Rail Traffic Man-agement System (ERTMS). The role of the UNECEis to further assist and promote full harmonizationof this system at a Pan-European level and beyond.

9.9 Trans-European Railway and Trans-EuropeanMotorway projects

The UNECE Trans-European North-South Mo-torway (TEM) and Trans-European Railway(TER) Projects have been addressing differ-

ent aspects of information technologies in roadand rail sector for many years. The TEM Project inparticular targeted mostly the relevant aspects re-lated to motorway infrastructure, namely at elec-tronic toll collection and variable message signs.

The new Revised TEM and TER Master Plan pub-lished in 2011 summarizes the present level reachedin ITS applications in rail and road transport, expe-rience gained by the individual countries, as well astheir expected future developments. Both Projectsintend to address the ITS-related matters in a cross-sectoral way and link their work “on the ground”with activities of the relevant Working Parties.

9.10 The ForFITs Project

TThe recently launched project on climatechange and transport15 is a joint project of allfive UN Regional Commissions, with the UN-

ECE as the lead agency. The goal is to develop andimplement a monitoring and assessment tool forCO2 emissions in inland transport to facilitate cli-mate change mitigation. The outcome of the projectwill provide a robust framework for analyzing dif-

ferent scenarios and will propose transport policydirections and strategies to achieve more sustainabletransport systems. It remains to be seen how ITSwill be addressed in this global project, however itis already clear that it may be featured as ITS tohelp measure the traffic induced CO2, and as ITSthat improves the fluidity and efficiency of transportand as such contributes to CO2 reduction.

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TInnovative solutions could bring uscloser to achieving road safety and en-vironmental policy objectives in thecoming years. This makes ITS solutionsan integral part of the range of possible

measures. In the future, innovative vehicle tech-nology will play an increasingly major role, prima-rily because the need for mobility will continue toincrease. Aside from the possible effects and publicsupport, the cost-benefit ratio has to be taken intoaccount. In this context, due attention has to bepaid to the fact that technical solutions sometimeshave unwelcomed side effects, like distracting thedriver, or encouraging inappropriate behaviour.Some techniques also have the potential to beabused.There are major benefits from using integratedstrategies in transport policies to address, for ex-ample, air pollutions, climate change, and sustain-able energy consumption. Air pollution and GreenHouse Gas emissions are often emitted from thesame source. More scientific and technical effortsneed to be directed to this area of work, and Gov-ernment policies need to take into account the ben-efits of integration. Countries have to think moreglobally in their approaches to air pollution andclimate change. There is more recognition of theglobal movement of air pollution and the need toimprove interregional collaboration. Sharing infor-mation and knowledge between regions will be thekey to future success and could achieve a greatdeal in cutting Green House Gas and air pollutionemissions globally.

Embedded in the United Nations Millennium De-velopment Goals and the Ministerial Declarationon global environment and energy in transport,technological innovation will be one instrumentwithin UNECE for reaching the common objectiveof clean and safe roads.Future challenges for innovation in transport shouldbe solved on a global scale and in a harmonizedway. A strong commitment from Governments, ex-tensive collaboration between the public and privatesectors, and increased financing for ITS is crucialfor developing smart solutions in this area. It is im-portant to reach a consolidated approach and avoidfragmented efforts of different parties. In the future, the transport sector will continue toface challenges such as a high number of roadcrashes and continuous increases in the consump-tion of fossil fuels with related CO2 emissions,which will result in increased air pollution. Con-gestion levels might also increase due to a contin-uing rise in demand for road transport. Inadequateand sub-standard infrastructure, particularly in low-income countries will continue to be additionalconcern.Applied intelligently, innovative technologies can:(a) Save lives.(b) Save time and money. (c) Reduce threats to our environment. (d) Create new business opportunities. Innovative technologies are widely accepted as theway forward for achieving the goal of sustainablemobility, while at the same time improving the qual-ity of life.

10. What’s next?


[1] Arutz Sheva. Israel National News. Israel’s Green Machine gears up for 2010. 21st January 2010.

[2] Austrian Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT). I2V - Intermodality and In-teroperability of Transport Systems, 2009.

[3] BBC News, Bolivia holds key to electric car future, 9th November 2008.

[4] Practice and deployment of variable message signs (VMS) in Viking countries - potential for harmonisation,Finnish Road Administration, Pirkko Rämä, Anna Schirokoff, Juha Luoma

[5] Conference of European Directors of Road, CEDR, Task Group O9, VMS Harmonisation in Europe, 2009

[6] DPA, Sarkozy wants La Reunion to be “laboratory” for electric cars, 19th January2010.

[7] D. Engwicht, Intrigue and uncertainty, p. 6.

[8] Die Zeit, Intelligenz ans Steuer, 14th June 2007.

[9] European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA), Facts and Figures, 2010.

[10] European Commission, Keep Europe moving - sustainable mobility for our continent, COM/2006/0314final, 2006.

[11] European Commission, A sustainable future for transport - Towards an integrated, technology-led anduser-friendly system, COM 2009/279, 2009.

[12] European Commission, ITS Action Plan, COM 2008/886, 2008.

[13] European Environment Agency (EEA), www.eea.europa.eu/publications/transport-at-crossroads, 2009.

[14] Eva Molnar, The knowing-doing gap, UNECE report, 2009.

[15] Eva Molnar, Becoming wise about ITS, in: Intelligent Transport 2008.

[16] International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook: Slowing Growth, Rising Risks, September 2011.

[17] Jack Short, Policy-Led Technological Developments, ERTICO-ITS Europe General Assembly, June 2009.

[18] Marc Green & John Senders PHD, Human Error in Road Accidents.

[19] New York Times, In Bolivia untapped bounty meets nationalism, article published 3rd February 2009.

[20] Transport & Environment, Bulletin No. 182, October 2009.

[21] Umweltbundesamt, Various Articles, studies and report, www.umweltbundesamt.de/verkehr-e/index.

[22] UNECE, ECE/TRANS/WP.29/2010/45, 2009.

[23] UNECE, Transport of dangerous Goods, www.unece.org/trans/danger, 2009.

[24] UNECE, Transport and Energy - the Challenge of Climate Change, International Transport Forum, 2008.

[25] UNECE, Project: Improving Global Road Safety - Setting regional and national road traffic casualty reductiontargets, 2008.

[26] World Bank, ITS Technical Note For Developing Countries.

References

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Road Map for promoting ITS20 global actions

2012 - 2020


Intelligent Transport Systems are increas-ingly considered as a part of the solutionto current and future transport challenges.They are becoming widely accepted as aninstrument towards achieving efficient,

safe and overall sustainable mobility while at thesame time contributing to a better quality of life.Already in 2003, the United Nations EconomicCommission for Europe (UNECE) Inland Trans-port Committee (ITC) identified the use of telem-atics and Intelligent Transport Systems (vehicles,infrastructure) as an issue that could become amajor challenge for the future, or possibly changedirection of its work. This conclusion led to theorganization of a Round Table on IntelligentTransport Systems under the auspices of theWorld Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Reg-ulations in 2004, another building block in devel-oping the UNECE strategy on development of leg-islative and practical implementation of ITS. Figure 1 shows in a simplified way the interactionsbetween ITS applications and the real world. Italso shows a wide range of applications of ITS tosolutions and benefits for different aspects of trans-port services (safety, efficiency, traffic manage-ment). It also illustrates that ITS is a technologythat brings around transport policy solutions (effi-

ciency, traffic management etc.). However, it is alsomore than technology since it calls for new insti-tutions, new ways for mobility and transport serv-ices. In addition, as an industrial product if is partand target of international trade; and at the sametime - when harmonised - it is the means for smoothlogistics and supply chain management.ITS is often seen as the new mode of transport orat least the modal integrator that can improve tra-ditional transport performance and can strengthenits position in sustainable development. Notwithstanding its benefits, the use of various ITSsolutions still continues to face different obstacles.It was felt that to overcome these barriers the for-mulation of a common strategy for the future im-plementation of ITS solutions was the necessarynext step.The main objective of UNECE is to promote eco-nomic integration. It brings together 56 countries,members of the European Union (EU), as well asnon-EU Western and Eastern European countries,and member countries in South-East Europe, Cen-tral and Western Asia and North America. The In-land Transport Committee was created in 1946 tofacilitate the international movement of personsand goods by inland transport modes and improvesafety, environmental protection, energy efficiencyand security in the transport sector to levels thatcontribute effectively to sustainable development.Furthermore, the UNECE administers the UN in-land transport and vehicle agreements that have aglobal outreach. In achieving its mission, the ITCand the UNECE secretariat launched a strategicreview on how Intelligent Transport Systems cancontribute to this goal and how UNECE can pro-mote the use of ITS solutions. The review package consists of:• a background paper that has the primary ob-

jective to share information (including bestpractices) and raise awareness about the val-ues ITS solutions can deliver;

• a strategic note that attempts to identify themain gaps in and impediments to the broaderuse and faster dissemination of ITS applica-

The reasons for the UNECE Road Map on IntelligentTransport Systems (ITS)

1. Process

of evolution

of ITS - the

integration

with other

transport

services

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Action 1Reaching a common definition for ITSApplying information technologies in inland trans-port is generically named “Intelligent TransportSystems” (ITS). However, the ITS framework whichprovides the ability to gather, organize, analyze,use and share information about transportationsystems has different boundaries. Differing eco-nomic and development priorities of Governmentsand institutions drive ITS deployment in differentdirections. Accordingly, this leads to a lack of un-derstanding, thus a commonly agreed upon defini-tion of ITS is warranted. A myriad of variations exists and different defini-tions are used. As a global partner, UNECE endeav-ours to facilitate the dialogue about ITS deployment,which should lead to a common definition that isused by all stakeholders. This definition should bedesigned in a holistic way.

Action 2Harmonising policiesThe lack of harmonized policies for ITS deploymentat global, and in particular at the Pan-Europeanlevel hampers the implementation of already ex-isting solutions. In this context, the UNECE offers an advantageousplatform through its intergovernmental structures(such as the World Forum for Harmonization of Ve-hicle Regulations and other Working Parties) to leadand collaborate in shaping key ITS strategies, suchas harmonization and deployment. Within such aframework, ITS infrastructure and services couldbe more effectively planned and, coordinated, and

efficiently implemented both in terms of technicalregulations and legal instruments. When developedthrough harmonized national policies, a commonITS deployment strategy would be more effectivein offering a reliable, safe and seamless journey bothfor freight and passengers at a global level.

Action 3Forging International cooperationThe evaluation and assessment of results obtainedfrom the UNECE public consultation on ITS clearlyshowed that Governments and stakeholders sup-port the work of UNECE in this field, especially itsregulatory work. In addition, its bridging functionas the platform for international cooperation intransport, in particular with non-EU countries isseen as an added value. International cooperationis considered essential for a successful change to-wards future needs for mobility. UNECE is encour-aged to continue working in close cooperation withthe European Union, international Organizationsand other relevant stakeholders.

Action 4Facilitating interoperability and the ITS architectureInnovative technologies in various transport fieldsare rapidly developing and made available. Giventhat the design and industrial development cycleof innovative technologies is shorter than the policycycle, national regulatory authorities often lag be-hind, but this is particularly evident at the interna-tional level. This leads to technical fragmentationand eventual interoperability issues within and

The Road Map: 20 global actions to promotethe use of ITS

tions irrespective which organizations, insti-tutions or bodies can or will fill the gap; and

• this Road Map that outlines the areas and liststhe activities UNECE can embark upon eitheras a continuation of on-going tasks or as newinitiatives.

The draft strategic note was subject to a publicconsultation and the comments received fromGovernments, businesses and academia, are nowincorporated in the final note, as well as in thisRoad Map.

across the countries. Therefore, efforts to speedup development and implementation of regulationsand agreements on technical and technologicalcompatibility are warranted. Some countries, like Japan and the United Statesof America have opted for an ITS architecture toavoid the problem of lack of interoperability andcompatibility, and at the same time to ensure thenecessary freedom for innovations and entrepre-neurial initiatives. The ITS architecture offers atechnology neutral map of services incorporatingcurrent systems into future strategies. With a prop-erly developed and implemented architecture, Gov-ernments and stakeholders can identify both theservices required by users and the sources of datafor those services. Such architecture can also de-scribe how to optimize, coordinate, structure andshare data sources and information services forthe common benefit of the users.Additionally, through the sharing of data, servicesand information, the overall cost and the cost of pro-viding each component of the system are reduced.The ability for the private sector to operate effectivelyis enhanced because already available data from ex-isting systems could be shared at a lower cost. The European Union (EU) has launched major ini-tiatives to overcome the slow and fragmented up-take and deployment of ITS in road transport. TheEuropean Commission’s ITS Action Plan and - inthe form of the ITS Directive - dedicated EU legis-lation on ITS together constitute a concerted policyframework to boost ITS across Europe. With these two complementary elements in place,the EU Road Map is now clearly set and the toolsare available to bring ITS deployment into a newera where integrated, interoperable systems andseamless transport services become the norm forEurope’s road transport system. EU Directive2010/40 of the European Parliament and of theCouncil on the framework for the deployment ofIntelligent Transport Systems in the field of roadtransport and for interfaces with other modes oftransport was adopted in 2010 and entered intoforce later that year. The deadline for transpositionby member States was set to February 2012. This development is an encouraging step towardsthe systematic and comprehensive implementationof ITS in the EU member countries. However, thefull effect and the benefits of the ITS implementa-tion could only be achieved and multiplied if a com-plementary strategy is developed for all other non-EU UNECE member countries at the pan-Europeanlevel. It is with this objective that the UNECE RoadMap and Strategy for promoting ITS are being de-

veloped. These will harmonize and ensure full cov-erage and implementation of the commonly adoptedstrategy throughout its 56 member countries.

Action 5Ensuring data securitySecurity and privacy concerns could become po-tential barriers to ITS deployment. Data losses andthe danger of identity theft could reduce the po-tential performance and benefits of ITS. ITS haveto be implemented by way of viable business casesthat require consistent standards and regulationson liability and highest levels of security for per-sonal data. Future UNECE ITS legislation will en-sure protection of privacy and data security.

Action 6Scaling up the work on ITS in allWorking Parties of the UNECEInland Transport Committee (ITC)In the transport sector the area of work IntelligentTransport Systems needs strengthening. TheTransport Division’s responsibility will be improv-ing access to high-quality information on availableITS and their meaningful integration into thework of the intergovernmental bodies, e.g.through best practices. All Inland Transport Com-mittee (ITC) Working Parties are encouraged toincorporate ITS related topics into their agendas.All UNECE Working Parties should continue:• to align their work with sustainable mobility

principles that include safe, efficient, environ-mentally friendly and affordable transportservices, and

• to determine how relevant ITS solutions couldassist in bringing this about.

Figure 2 indicates the core values of UNECE onecan build on in promoting the use of ITS (conveningpower, legal instruments, harmonisation activitiesetc). It also positions UNECE as one among thekey stakeholders with whom close cooperation isenvisaged to avoid duplication and to leverage theactivities and results of the players, governments,governmental bodies, industries and academia. Infact, UNECE can become a gateway or an institu-tional world forum for ITS.

Action 7Promoting vehicle to infrastructurecommunicationThe World Forum for Harmonization of VehicleRegulations (WP.29) is introducing technologicalinnovations in vehicles by regulations that are ap-plicable on worldwide scale.


2. UNECE

as an

Institutional

World Forum

for ITS

As a basic innovation, cooperative systems bringinfrastructure and vehicle related intelligent trans-port devices that are active and ‘cooperate’ in orderto perform a common service. Consequently, in co-operative systems, communication could be vehi-cle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure.Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) tech-nologies are important advances in vehicle safetyand the optimization of their potential benefits iscrucial. In 2002, WP.29 established an ITS InformalGroup to consider the necessity for a regulatoryframework on ADAS, which are becoming morecommon in vehicles. The development of provisions for ADAS - such asLane Departure Warning Systems (LDWS) and Ad-vanced Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS), theactions of which are restricted to emergency situ-ations - are expected to bring about draft regulatorytext proposals that will take the form of new stand-alone UNECE Regulations under the 1958 Agree-ment. According to an impact assessment made bythe European Commission, the mandatory meas-ures of these systems can prevent the loss ofaround 5,000 lives and avoid 35,000 serious injuriesa year across the EU27. Additionally, the World Forum invited the UNECERoad Safety Forum (Working Party on Road TrafficSafety - WP.1) and the Working Party on RoadTransport (SC.1) to devote special attention to andaccelerate their work on:• raising awareness on the safety issues and

missed opportunities with non-communicatinginfrastructure;

• infrastructure standards to promote vehicleto infrastructure and vehicle to vehicle com-munication (AGR, Convention on Road Signsand Signals).

Action 8Promoting vehicle - to - vehiclecommunicationVehicle - to - vehicle (V2V) communication can be

defined as the cooperative exchange of data be-tween vehicles through wireless technology, withthe objective of improving road safety, mobility, ef-ficiency and improving the use of road capacity. Cooperative systems are expected to make use ofstate - of - the - art communication facilities allowingthe driver access to all road and traffic information. Imagine using one single device onboard of yourvehicle allowing you to plug-in and synchroniseyour mobile phone, iPad or laptop and access allrelevant information via one application. Close co-operation between UNECE, the InternationalTelecommunication Union (ITU) and the Interna-tional Organization for Standardization (ISO) is es-sential and will be further broadened on frequen-cies and international standards. The competent UNECE body that will interact withGovernments and global players, dealing with co-operative systems in information technologies hasyet to be identified.

Action 9Fighting the road safety crisisUNECE is actively involved in the regional andglobal implementation of the UN General AssemblyResolution 64/255 improving global Road Safetyand has ambitious plans for a series of road safetyactivities to educate, raise awareness, to induceaction and to create dynamic and effective re-sponses to the road safety crisis. Those actions will be performed primarily by - butnot limited to - the Road Safety Forum (WorkingParty on Road Traffic Safety-WP.1) and the WorldForum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations(WP.29), including promoting accession to and,where necessary, more effective worldwide imple-mentation of UNECE legal instruments.

Action 10Addressing the liability concernsThe 1968 Convention on Road Traffic states that“Every driver of a vehicle shall in all circum-stances have his vehicle under control...”. Howare ITS solutions linked to the issue of liability?Devices that assist the driver to drive safely al-ready exist. UNECE has played a crucial role inthat development. Technologies such as naviga-tion systems, cruise control and systems optimiz-ing the braking of vehicles are already widelyused and have contributed to fewer accidents andbetter fuel consumption. Other vehicle-based systems are at various stagesof development and will be incorporated into UN-ECE Vehicle Regulations later. ITS devices are also

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widely applied in traffic management and controlthrough, for example, variable message signs, speedcameras, electronic vehicle detection and toll charg-ing systems, and vehicle positioning and tracking. The current critical debate concerns devices thatact on behalf of the driver, or even override thedriver’s decisions. While driver assistance systemscontribute to intelligent and efficient mobility aswell as to efficient and safe roads, they also intro-duce new challenges. For example, in a system fail-ure and accident situation: who is legally liable? Insome European countries, for example, the law inthis respect clearly states that the liability of drivingremains exclusively with the driver. WP.1 and WP.29 already closely cooperate on thismatter and will present a solution in the near future,particularly in the case of ADAS systems.To bridge the gap, an agreement over the followingoverarching principle is emerging: ITS assisted driv-ing is in harmony with the current legal instru-ments, while most of the governments are not readyto accept ITS that replace driver’s decisions.

Action 11Harmonizing Variable Message SignsThe Working Party on Road Traffic Safety (WP.1)established an ad hoc group of experts on VariableMessage Signs (VMS). Its wider mandate is to ana-lyze new technological developments that increaseroad safety and to draw up proposals for includingthese developments in the relevant United Nationslegal instruments.The VMS expert group proposes that WP.1 consid-ers restructuring the 1968 Convention on RoadTraffic according to the following groupings: • road markings;• posted signs;• electronic signs.The idea behind this proposal is that “we need con-trolled change in order to keep cohesion” of roaddisplays, whatever the signing domain, particularlybetween posted and electronic signs (shapes, de-sign principles, contents). As it turned out in thecase of VMS and their heterogeneous use throughdifferent European administrations, there is thereal danger today that competing industries drivenby marketing interests could take road signing forpromotion purposes of particular brands (morefashionable, aesthetics, etc.). Electronic signing, in principle, concerns the fol-lowing devices: • traffic lights;• traffic signals;• VMS.

Consensus is sought for all types of road signs as anew platform for current and future work. At alater stage, an implementation programme will bewarranted. This means: • reform following a step by step approach; • consider the main issues, the main pictograms,

creating proposals, etc.

Action 12Making Transport of DangerousGoods less dangerousThe Working Party on the Transport of DangerousGoods (WP.15) will continue to further considerhow ITS applications such as telematics could beused to improve safety, security and facilitate thetransport of dangerous goods by standardizationand by using monitoring and tracking systems link-ing consignors, transport operators, emergency re-sponders, enforcement and control authorities andregulators.

Action 13Integrating with Rail TransportInteroperability is a key for improving rail infra-structure and thus the efficiency of railway opera-tions. This would ensure that the railway sectorcould contribute to sustainable transport in a com-petitive environment with a level playing field forall modes.The revised Master Plans of the UNECE TEM(Trans-European North-South Motorway) and TER(Trans-European Railway) Projects published inautumn 2011, devote a whole chapter to both roadand rail ITS, summarizing the present status of im-plementation as well as their expected future de-velopment. It also presents the experience gainedby the individual member countries of TEM andTER Projects in these fields. It is expected thatwork in this field will continue.

Action 14Integrating with Inland WaterTransportThe UNECE “White Paper on Efficient and Sus-tainable Inland Water Transport in Europe” identi-fies River Information Systems (RIS) as one of theseven strategic areas of inland waterway transportdevelopments. Under Policy Recommendation No.3 the White paper calls on Governments, river nav-igation commissions, international organizationsand the inland navigation industry to “promote theuse of River Information Service and other infor-mation communication technologies (ICT)”. It pro-poses a series of UNECE actions in this area, in-


cluding supporting a pan-European dialogue on theimplementation and further development of RISand encouraging other uses of ICT for facilitatingIWT operations and inspections of inland naviga-tion vessels. The UNECE Working Party on InlandWater Transport (SC.3) will carry out this work.

Action 15Enhancing the modal integrator’srole of ITSThe Working Party on Intermodal Transport andLogistics (WP.24) as well as the Working Party onRoad Transport (SC.1) will take actions to simplifythe rules and requirements on international roadand intermodal transport and the relevant admin-istrative procedures and documentation.Integration of different transport modes and theirinformation systems will allow inclusion of elec-tronic information on road freight traffic operationsin the intermodal transport operations and supplychains, making logistics and security more inte-grated and automated, thus increasing the effi-ciency and security of administrative procedures.

Action 16Developing Cost-benefit assessmentmethodologiesA lack of harmonized methodology for cost-benefitanalysis of ITS hampers the deployment of the in-novative solutions with greatest overall communitybenefits and may encourage the use of other lessbeneficial solutions adding further costs to cus-tomers. More information in this area is neededsince it is commonly accepted that cost-benefitanalyses have major effects on future sustainabletransport planning. It is a tool of special interest toGovernments and policy-makers. It is an area where UNECE and in particular WP.5are also tasked to work more and to provide guid-ance, building on earlier achievements and techni-cal assistance in investment assessment method-ologies. Transport Canada and the United StatesDepartment of Transportation might be of assis-tance since they have advanced knowledge and ex-perience in this area.

Action 17Contributing to climate changemitigation and adaptionThe potential contribution of ITS to reduced pol-lution and congestion is crucial. In January 2011the UNECE Transport Division launched the UnitedNations Development Account funded project onclimate change and transport. The goal is to de-

velop and implement a monitoring and assessmenttool for CO2 emissions in inland transport to facil-itate climate change mitigation. The tool will be freely available to all United NationsMember States. It will provide a robust frameworkfor analysing different scenarios of sustainable trans-port, proposing transport-policy strategies, amongthem the further development of ITS. The project is designed to assist Governments de-veloping mitigation strategies.

Action 18Launching analytical workEvery ITS service depends on the availability of anInformation and Communication Technology (ICT)backbone and enabling systems that constitute thecore of ICT infrastructure. The success rate of ITS implementation is closelyrelated to the availability of ICT infrastructure. Thecapability to deliver ITS services does not grow ina linear direction with the augmentation of avail-able technology, but for most ITS services a mini-mum critical mass is needed in order to perform awide number of tasks. More research and analysis in this field should becarried out by UNECE - obviously through lever-aging the benefits of inter-agency cooperation - toassist governments and to provide advice.

Action 19Contributing to capacity building,education and awareness raising,with special attention to emergingeconomies

Assisting GovernmentsThe major aim of the UNECE is to promote eco-nomic integration. To this end, it provides analysis,policy advice and assistance to Governments; itsupports the United Nations global mandates inthe economic field, in cooperation with other globalplayers and key stakeholders. In light of this man-date, the Transport Division has the necessary ex-perience and is prepared to assist Governmentsand stakeholders in the deployment of ITS. Thiscould be done through capacity building work-shops and in cooperation with the other regionalcommissions (the Economic and Social Commis-sion for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Eco-nomic Commission for Latin America and theCaribbean (ECLAC), the Economic Commissionfor Africa (ECA) and the Economic and SocialCommission for Western Asia (ESCWA)).The growth of road transport continues to be sig-

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nificant, especially in emerging economies. Simul-taneously with the economic and financial crisis,the growth has been accompanied by rapid urban-ization that is expected to continue unabated inthe future. The rising concentration of populationin cities is accompanied by growing social prob-lems such as worsening traffic congestion, increas-ing air pollution and an escalating number of roadaccidents. However, not only urban areas are af-fected by these developments. Road transportgrowth exceeds the capacity of existing infrastruc-tures and reform requirements in modern transportmanagement are needed. These are all areas whereITS offers practicable solutions.Education and awareness-raising is the key to in-novation in transport. There is a need to informthe public how the future mobility will look like inorder to foster this new culture, to keep the publicabreast of what is going on, to plant understandingand gain acceptance and support.

LeapfroggingThe UNECE platform could be used as a bridge todisseminate knowledge and best practices and be-come the umbrella for coordinated policy action inthe field of Intelligent Transport Systems worldwide. Developing countries can leapfrog far more rapidly

to an ITS-enabled infrastructure and far less expen-sively than developed countries. The important roleof UNECE in fostering the integration of landlockedregions (such as central Asia) would be reinforced,providing new opportunities to a broader range ofemerging economies to become better integrated,promoting economies of scale and a greater abilityto cooperate and exchange information.

Action 20Organising the United NationsAnnual Round Table on IntelligentTransport SystemsUnder the aegis of the UNECE, all countries willhave the opportunity for dialogue and develop co-operation on ITS issues through round table dis-cussions convened annually. The outcome of these round tables would provideguidance for and direct the work of the relevantUNECE bodies where actions would be initiatedby Governments, other key stakeholders and globalplayers, including the business community.The UNECE Transport Division will provide the plat-form for exchange of views, provide analytical in-puts, policy advice and assistance to Governments,and will ensure that the United Nations global man-date in this field of transport is maintained.


3. Steps of the

UNECE ITS

Road Map

The planned actions can be grouped as follows: (a) those of global nature (like common agreement

on the definition) that encompass a whole rangeof areas of work and relevant institutions (likeforging international cooperation);

(b) those that are direct or in-direct continuationof ongoing activities of Working Parties andof the UNECE secretariat (like vehicle - to -vehicle communication) and as such they canbe manifested either in modification of legalinstruments or through guidelines or recom-mendations for governments;

(c) those that help common thinking throughtheme related analytical work to push the en-velop for the follow-up decision making;

(d) and finally those that serve knowledge sharingand capacity building.The annual round table on ITS issues will bededicated to the most critical specific topic ofthe year so that the outcome of the round tablecontributes to a commonly acceptable solution.

As illustrated in figure 3 the already ongoing ac-tions aim at harmonisation within the UNECEbodies using existing legal instruments. This willnot only continue, but will be scaled up to all rel-evant topics and to all working parties. More in-tergovernmental and inter-agency coordinationwill be embarked on for efficient resource uti-lization. As some of the actions bear fruits the ef-fectiveness of harmonisation will be increasedand the work programs of the Inland TransportCommittee and its subsidiary bodies, the working

parties, as well as the administrative committeesof the different legal instruments will likely in-crease and /or sharpen their activities to promotethe use of ITS. Further on, it is most probable,that modification of existing multilateral trans-port conventions, agreements and other legal in-struments will be warranted. Today it is pre-ma-ture to think about a UN legal instrument on ITS,though this cannot be excluded either. An impor-tant part of the implementation of the actions isto make sure that results are known to govern-ments and to all other stakeholders. Finally, im-plementation and its impact will be regularlymonitored and the secretariat will report to itsgoverning bodies, first of all to the Inland Trans-port Committee. For implementation monitoringindicators will be developed and agreed on basedon the adoption of this Road Map.

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How will the Road Map andits actions be implemented?

3


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The publication “Intelligent Transport Systems

for sustainable mobility” funded and supported by the Società

Iniziative Nazionali Autostradali - SINA was initiated and

prepared by the UNECE Transport Division.

It was produced in cooperation with the secretaries of the

Division.

The Transport Division wishes to express its sincere thanks

to all those who contributed to this publication, either with

articles or administrative services.

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Mr. Konstantinos Alexopoulous

Is the Secretary of the UNECE Working Parties for Rail (SC.2) and Transport Trends andEconomics (WP.5). He worked as an International Intermodal Transport and LogisticsConsultant and held top level management positions in various transport and logisticscompanies. He is the author of the Freight Transport and Logistics Master Plan of Greece. “Many years have passed since Plato invented the word “information”- morph>form - .

But even the great philosopher could never have imagined that the world would be safer

and better when its various forms i.e. infrastructure, vehicles, equipment, etc. become

senders and receivers of information.

The ultimate objective of ITS.”

Mr. Roberto Arditi

Degree in Electronic Engineering. Now he serves as Director of Scientific Affairs for SINA,part of ASTM-SIAS, an industrial group of motorway operators. He has 25 years ofexperience in the fields of infrastructure design, construction and operation related issues.His expertise in the fields of road safety, ITS, environmental impact contributed to thework of a number of Governmental and Intergovernmental Commissions. He has a wideinternational experience as independent expert of the European Commission, partner ofEuropean programs and member of international Associations such as ASECAP andPIARC. He developed a number of technical papers, books and publications. He wasmember of the technical or scientific committee for international and nationalsymposiums. He held more than 100 lectures in universities or other fora.“Communication facilities are the vital sap of our Society: the social development is

suffocated where transport is lacking.

On the other hand, we all are struggling to reduce the unavoidable impacts of the

transport process. The efficiency and safety of the existing roads/vehicles, through ITS,

is a worthy part of the solution.”

This paper was drafted under the supervision of

Colophon

by the following team

Dr. Éva Molnár, UNECE Transport Division (Director)

Since September, 2007, she has been the Director of Transport Division at the UnitedNations Economic Commission (UNECE) for Europe. She has spent more than twentyyears of her career in transportation, and from time to time also in other infrastructuresectors, like telecommunications. She has gained experience in governmental, privatesector and inter-governmental organizations, as well as in the academic life. “ITS is not just an innovative technological solution, it is a new culture and we

must learn how to benefit from it!”

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Mr. Antonio Erario

Research Doctorate and Transport Engineering Degree. National expert detached atthe European Commission, DG ENTR (1997); International officer of UNECE,Transport Division, Geneva (1997-2000); Head of Division on International RegulatoryAffairs of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport; responsible for EU andUN/ECE legislative actions and policies on vehicles and road safety. Chairman of theGeneral Safety Working Group - WP.29/GRSG of UNECE (Geneva). Member of the EC,ITS Committee.“ITS deployment allows for an optimised use of the existing transport network

increasing its capacity, safety and security with a reduced environmental impact.”

Mr. Edoardo Gianotti

Mr. Edoardo Gianotti holds an advanced degree in Political Science. He is staff memberof the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (UNECE/WP.29) since2006, focal point on Intelligent Transport Systems of UNECE and leader of the project.“ITS is a core concept of what is possible when a transport system is interconnected

and responsive to everybody’s needs”.

Ms. Luciana Iorio

Law degree, Diplomatic and International law specialization studies. MBA, Awardeddiploma on European Union legislation and Politics. Senior legal adviser for the ItalianMinistry of Infrastructure and Transport in the field of EU and UN/ECE legislative actionsand policies for Road Safety. She acted as Chairperson for over-national programsconcerning the development and the implementation of Intelligent Transport Systems onthe Trans-European Road Network (TEN-T). “In a world where daily life and the economy are demanding faster and reliable

connections and communications, the only solution is to apply intelligent technologies to

transport networks so that our journeys can be safe, sustainable and energy-efficient.”


Mr. Miodrag Pesut

Mr. M. Pesut previous working experience includes work in Academia and with theGovernment. Since 1989 with the United Nations including posting in Baghdad, Ammanand Geneva. Worked mostly in the area of economic development, transportinfrastructure development and transport and economic policies. Special interest intransport economics, environmental aspects of transport, and railways. Holds a Ph.D inInternational economics and economic development.“Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is the application of technology to the

management of inland transport systems in order to increase their efficiency and

safety, while providing users with mobility options based on real-time information.”

Mr. Juan Ramos-Garcia

Juan RAMOS-GARCIA, Mechanical Engineer, UNECE Transport Division, Chief of theVehicle Regulations and Transport Innovations Section & Secretary of the World Forumfor Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29).“ITS makes me feel safer and more comfortable when driving.”

Ms. Dörte Schramm

Ms. Schramm holds a Master degree in Political Science, Sociology and English. Sheworked as policy officer in the Transport Committee of the European Parliament. Since2010 she is staff member of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations(UNECE/WP.29) where she works as Associated Expert on Intelligent TransportSystems and assistant to the project leader, sponsored by the German government.“For me, ITS is the tool to realize real sustainable mobility now and for future

generations, to protect our children and health, to preserve our planet and to find

mobility solutions that are unthinkable. It might sound a bit overblown,

but it can be true.”

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Scientific support to the drafting of the book

Maria Teresa Bocchetti

SINA ASTM-SIAS group

Alessandro Javicoli


Paola Mainardi


The final editing was performed by

Fabio Ricci


Charles Toby Pearce

UNECE Transport Division

Veronica Reeves

Public Information Specialist, UNECE Transport Division

Violet Yee

Editor UNECE Transport Division

Technical/scientific support to SINA for preliminary

draft of the background note

Bruno Dalla Chiara

Politecnico di Torino

Line Konstad

UNECE Transport Division

Assunta De Pascalis


Credits


Produced by

Casa Editrice la fiaccola srl

Printed by

Everprint - Carugate

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Geneva, February 2012


Documents

Intelligent Transport Systems for Sustainable Mobility UN 2009