Skip to main content

IRU makes the case for ITS and eyes new technology

During a recent debate on connected vehicles, the International Road Transport Union (IRU) highlighted that intelligent transport systems (ITS) are widely used within the road transport sector to improve efficiency, especially for fleet management, but also in fuel reduction and locating safe and secure parking. While new developments are also seeing communication between vehicles and road infrastructure, resulting in quicker, safer and more fuel efficient journeys, the IRU stressed the need for common s
December 2, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
During a recent debate on connected vehicles, the International Road Transport Union (IRU) highlighted that intelligent transport systems (ITS) are widely used within the road transport sector to improve efficiency, especially for fleet management, but also in fuel reduction and locating safe and secure parking.

While new developments are also seeing communication between vehicles and road infrastructure, resulting in quicker, safer and more fuel efficient journeys, the IRU stressed the need for common standards, harmonisation and interoperability of technology, in order to encourage a greater uptake of ITS.

The IRU further outlined that ITS has great potential for improving road transport efficiency, but their use must remain voluntary, commercial data must be secure, and users must have a real choice of providers. The IRU also highlighted the wide potential of smartphones in providing low cost solutions to small and medium-sized transport operators who find it harder to benefit from expensive new technology.

Related Content

  • Fleet managers ‘likely to opt for brands that offer predictive technologies’
    December 18, 2013
    Fleet management systems (FMS) have an established presence in France, Germany, UK, Italy and Benelux, with 70 per cent of fleet managers claiming familiarity with FMS – 37 per cent are already using it and 33 per cent are testing it. In general, fleet owners display a positive attitude toward FMS, and 35 percent of respondents in a recent Frost & Sullivan survey consider it an absolute necessity. Large fleets are keener to adopt these solutions than small and medium fleets, clearly indicating a lack of awa
  • Developments in urban traffic management and control
    February 1, 2012
    Mark Cartwright, Centaur Consulting, discusses developments in urban traffic management and control. Despite the concept of UTMC (Urban Traffic Management and Control) having been around for some years now, there remains a significant rump of confusion as to its relationship with its similar-sounding cousin UTC (Urban Traffic Control). To many people, the two are one and the same. However, this is not the case.
  • Kapsch outlines tolling options to combat traffic congestion
    January 11, 2017
    Michael Maitland from Kapsch TrafficCom looks at how the various forms of tolling can help authorities combat traffic congestion and air quality problems while simultaneously raising revenue.
  • US IntelliDrive cooperative infrastructure programme
    February 2, 2012
    The 'rebranding' of the US's Vehicle-Infrastructure Integration programme as IntelliDrive marks an effort to make the whole undertaking more accessible both in terms of nomenclature and technology. Shelley Row, director of the ITS Joint Program Office within USDOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, talks about the changes