Skip to main content

Ertico partners in step for Europe-wide cooperative traffic systems

According to Ertico, the future of traffic management on urban and inter-urban networks will rely on direct communication and interaction between vehicles and the infrastructure, using new technologies called cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) that support real-time exchange of traffic data. This cooperation can enable a wide range of applications such as vehicle-sourced data collection, green light and speed advice, automated hazard detection, selective vehicle priority, dynamic city logisti
December 5, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
According to 374 Ertico, the future of traffic management on urban and inter-urban networks will rely on direct communication and interaction between vehicles and the infrastructure, using new technologies called cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) that support real-time exchange of traffic data. This cooperation can enable a wide range of applications such as vehicle-sourced data collection, green light and speed advice, automated hazard detection, selective vehicle priority, dynamic city logistics, parking management, virtual signage and multimodal traveller information.

The potential benefits of cooperative ITS are vast, including improved energy efficiency, reduced CO2 emissions and congestion, more effective incident detection and management, and increased road safety. Individual transport users will enjoy easier, more reliable and eco-friendlier travel choices, fleet operators for logistics and public transport will improve quality and cost-effectiveness of services while traffic and road managers will benefit from more complete and timely monitoring of their network, and better tools for traffic control and system-wide optimisation.

At the 19th 6456 ITS World Congress in Vienna six infrastructure suppliers announced their collaboration towards a common set of standards for cooperative mobility services, which are expected to be implemented in their future products. The statement, signed by Ertico partners Imtech Traffic and Infra, 108 Q-Free, 189 Siemens, 129 Swarco, Vialis and 4186 Xerox as part of an Ertico-ITS Europe initiative to speed up deployment, is a demonstration of their commitment to work together for cooperative mobility.

The 1690 European Commission has issued mandate M453 to European industry and governments to develop a minimum set of standards needed to ensure the functionality and interoperability of these new communication technologies, and enable connected vehicles to communicate intelligently with traffic management and control infrastructure throughout Europe.

This mandate is directed to the 6613 European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the European Standards Committee (1701 CEN), that between them have already published many of the required standards.

Completion of these standards will open the way for a harmonised pan-European deployment of C-ITS, enabling cooperative intelligent roadside systems to communicate with equipped cars, trucks, emergency services and public transport vehicles.

Through their joint statement the infrastructure suppliers invite public authorities at national, regional and city levels to work with them to ensure that the respective products and services fulfill their needs and goals concerning interoperability and functionality.

Related Content

  • February 6, 2012
    European ITS Congress emphasises ITS development and deployment
    The 8th European ITS Congress is a key event for the industry. Hermann Meyer, CEO of Ertico-ITS Europe puts the event in context
  • July 10, 2012
    Common European language for V2V and V2I communication demonstrated
    A European Commission-sponsored research project took a significant step towards vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) when it presented its results at the Dutch DITCM test site in Helmond last week. The event unveiled the Drive C2X reference system, demonstrating for the first time the ability to create a harmonised testing environment across Europe. The research project brings together car manufacturers, research institutes, authorities and information technology providers to provid
  • October 24, 2012
    ETSI standards available to all on CD-ROM
    Visit ETSI, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, on stand P32 to discover the latest developments in European standardisation and to pick up a copy of ETSI’s CD-ROM collection of transportation related standards. ETSI develops standards for all aspects of ITS communication systems, working in close cooperation with other standards bodies including CEN, ISO, IEEE and with the Car2Car Communication Consortium. Interoperability is key, so ETSI, with Ertico, organises events for suppliers of coo
  • February 1, 2012
    Include ITS in policy decisions from the start, not as an afterthought
    DG TREN's Fotis Karamitsos, on why the European Commission's new ITS Action Plan is looking to the past for future direction. The European Commission's (EC's) new Action Plan for the Deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems in Europe, which was announced as 2008 drew to a close, intends that transport and travel become 'cleaner; more efficient, including energy efficient; and safer and more secure'. At first sight, that wording might be interpreted as marking a significant policy shift within Europe, wit