Skip to main content

Adding intelligence to transportation

Restarting city transportation systems following a natural disaster can take time. The impact of a storm cannot be predicted, but transportation systems and fleets of vehicles with embedded intelligence can provide the knowledge needed to get up and running faster. Machine to machine (M2M) technology can help collect and process information to better monitor and manage transportation systems on an ongoing basis. In the event of a disaster, technology could provide cities with critical data about bridges, r
November 6, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Restarting city transportation systems following a natural disaster can take time. The impact of a storm cannot be predicted, but transportation systems and fleets of vehicles with embedded intelligence can provide the knowledge needed to get up and running faster.

Machine to machine (M2M) technology can help collect and process information to better monitor and manage transportation systems on an ongoing basis. In the event of a disaster, technology could provide cities with critical data about bridges, roads, rail, and other public transit systems, alerting leaders where action needs to be taken.

According to a recent report, technology can go even further, providing passengers with information about delays. A recent report suggests the penetration of on-board computer units with GPS and wireless communication in buses and trams will increase. With a smartphone, travelers can receive instant information about the expected arrival time of the public-transit system.

The report, from 6817 Global Information, says the use of technology in buses and trams will increase from 40 per cent in 2011 to 56.1 per cent in 2016. Also, as a whole, ITS is expected to grow at an annual rate of 15%, reaching US$1.9 billion by 2016 in Europe alone.

ITS is also likely to see a some growth in the United States as well.  MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century) provides funds for states to develop and implement an asset-management plan and grants to accelerate the use of ITS.

Aside from developments in the public sector, the private commercial vehicle telematics market is also set to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.09 per cent from 2011 to 2015, according to Global Information.

Related Content

  • April 30, 2015
    New solutions to old problems set to cut emergency response times
    David Crawford looks at the latest developments in emergency response. Ensuring speedier reactions to transport and travel crises is becoming increasingly important. US statistics suggest that as many as 1,000 ‘saveable’ lives can be lost each year in major cities because of operational defects in their SOS operations.
  • January 26, 2012
    Vancouver's metro transport promotes alternatives to driving
    David Crawford looks at Vancouver and the legacy of a Olympic transport success
  • March 26, 2015
    Global road safety market expected to reach US$5.73 billion by 2019
    The latest report by Marketsandmarkets, "Road Safety Market by Types (Highways and Bridges Safety, Urban Roads Safety and Tunnels Safety) & Systems (Red Light Enforcement, Speed Limit Enforcement, Bus Lane Enforcement, Communication, Incident Detection) - Worldwide Market Forecast (2014-2019)", indicates that the road safety market is expected to grow from US$3.37 billion in 2014 to US$5.73 billion in 2019, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2 per cent from 2014 to 2019. In terms of regions,
  • June 3, 2016
    Automated fare collection market predicted to almost double by 2021
    According to a new market research report, Automated Fare Collection Market by Application (Rail and Transport, Parking), by Service Type (Consulting, System Implementation), by Technology, by Industry, by Region - Global Forecast to 2021, published by MarketsandMarkets, the global automated fare collection (AFC) market is estimated to grow from US$6.42 billion in 2016 to US$11.95 billion by 2021, at an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.2 per cent. Automated fare collection applications