Skip to main content

EC promotes ''against lock-in'' approach on ITS standards

According to the European Commission (EC), open standards for intelligent transportation systems (ITS) would save the public sector €1 billion a year US$1.5 billion a year, citing Urban Traffic Management and Control (UTMC) as one of the standards being developed in the transport domain. Launched in 1997, the UTMC programme was the UK Department for Transport (DfT) main initiative for the development of a more open approach to ITS in urban areas. UTMC systems are designed to allow the different application
August 2, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
According to the 1690 European Commission (EC), open standards for intelligent transportation systems (ITS) would save the public sector €1 billion a year US$1.5 billion a year, citing 3549 Urban Traffic Management and Control (UTMC) as one of the standards being developed in the transport domain.

Launched in 1997, the UTMC programme was the UK 1837 Department for Transport (DfT) main initiative for the development of a more open approach to ITS in urban areas.  UTMC systems are designed to allow the different applications used within modern traffic management systems to communicate and share information with each other. Thereby a more robust and intelligent system can be used to meet current and future management requirements.

At the end of June 2013, the EC released a new policy to help public authorities avoid dependence on a single ICT supplier, together with a Guide for the procurement of standards-based ICT — Elements of Good Practice, which lists UTMC in the sources of information appendix.

The EC states that following the recommendations in this new "against lock-in" approach could save the EU's public sector more than US$1.5 billion a year. For example, open tendering procedures can attract increased numbers of bidders with better value bids (doubling the number of bidders typically lowers contract size by 9 per cent).

The full story and a copy of the guide, aimed at officials responsible for planning and purchasing ICT systems and services for public authorities, can be found on the EC %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal webpage http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/open-standards false http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/open-standards false false%>.

Related Content

  • ITF launches six transport policy papers in time for COP21
    December 1, 2015
    Transport generates 23 per cent of global CO2 emissions from fuel combustion. This share needs to fall to stay within the two degree Celsius scenario for climate mitigation. The International Transport Forum has launched six concise analyses on critical issues for decarbonising transport for the COP21 climate change conference currently going on in Paris: A New Paradigm for Urban Mobility looks at how fleets of shared vehicles can end the car dependency of cities; Low-Carbon Mobility for Mega Cities disc
  • TAS Group reveals new Card 3.0 management platform at CARTES 2013
    October 31, 2013
    Electronic money, payment systems and financial markets software provider TAS Group will officially reveal its new Card 3.0 platform at CARTES 2013. The modular card management platform enables financial institutions to design, issue and manage payment cards and other digital products quickly and securely.
  • Transport for London launches competition to create accessibility apps
    March 14, 2013
    Transport for London (TfL) is launching a competition to create new 'Accessibility Apps', marking the first of a series of initiatives to improve the variety of accessibility apps on offer. As part of the competition developers are being invited to apply with ideas for a new travel app which will make Transport for London (TfL) real time data more accessible to a far wider audience than mainstream Apple/Android apps. The winning entries will receive development support from TfL. Making the transport network
  • Upcoming IT-Trans conference focuses on security
    January 20, 2014
    The leading international event for IT solutions in public transport, IT-Trans International Conference and Exhibition, takes place at the Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, Karlsruhe, Germany, 18-20 February 2014. Visitors will hear from a series of experienced international experts on a variety of topics, including Ralph Langner, a leading global expert on cyber defence. Exhibitors from 25 countries will display IT products and services for urban mobility, from e-ticketing and passenger information systems