Skip to main content

EU project tests new technologies in Madrid to improve traffic and travel information

Spanish technology group Indra is implementing the European R&D&i project Harmony, with the collaboration of research groups G@TV and TranSYT from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and with the support of Grupo Interbús and Spain's Traffic Department (DGT). The pilot study is being carried out in Madrid to develop new technologies to integrate real-time data from different transport operators and improve multimodal information services. The three-year project, developed with the Polytechnic University of
July 25, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Spanish technology group 509 Indra is implementing the European R&D&i project Harmony, with the collaboration of research groups G@TV and TranSYT from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and with the support of Grupo Interbús and Spain's Traffic Department (DGT). The pilot study is being carried out in Madrid to develop new technologies to integrate real-time data from different transport operators and improve multimodal information services.


The three-year project, developed with the Polytechnic University of Madrid, is part of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program, the 1690 European Commission's investment plan for developing transport infrastructures with the goal of completing the trans-European transportation network.

The Harmony project applies current European standards and state-of-the-art technologies to standardise, exchange and integrate data on public transportation in real time and data and information on road network traffic, as well as from other transportation organisations. Based on this data, it aims to develop new multimodal information services that will benefit both transportation operators and citizens and contribute to improving mobility management and information.

A collaboration between transport operator Grupo Interbús and DGT provides Interbus with real time statistical traffic data in standard formats, which will enable the testing of information exchange between public transportation and traffic to improve management and mobility and to offer citizens new, improved services. In addition, by integrating the information from Interbús into Indra's traffic management solution, the buses may be located graphically on a map of Madrid's different roads.

In a second phase, it is expected that DGT will join the pilot project to validate the real-time standardised information exchange. In addition to testing services for improving the city's mobility management and contributing toward a coordinated and speedy incident response, the pilot project is also considering offering new services, such alerts and multimodal route planning, in a third stage.

Once completed, the Harmony project will analyse the real impact that these applications and services could have on both transportation conditions as well as on operators' management and users' satisfaction.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Indra to implement ticketing technology for new Algerian trolley line
    September 7, 2015
    Alstom Transport has awarded Indra a US$3 million contract to develop and implement the ticketing systems for the first trolley line currently under construction in the Algerian city of Setif. With a total length of 22.2 kilometres, the Setif trolley line project is being undertaken by Entreprise du Métro d’Alger (EMA), which has subcontracted the construction to Alstom Transport and the construction company Yapi Merkezi. Indra will supply ticketing systems for the 27 stations and four interchanges p
  • London’s mayor launches bus safety programme
    February 2, 2016
    The Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) have launched a world-leading programme to drive major improvements in safety across London's bus network, creating a six-point programme to reduce collisions and improve safety. The programme will bring together the newest technology, training, incentives, support, reporting and transparency right across the network, contributing to TfL's work towards meeting the mayor's target of halving the number of people killed or seriously injured on the capital's
  • Big data helps San Diego optimise public transit
    July 14, 2014
    San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) has turned to Cubic’s big data subsidiary Urban Insights to make better use of its data, according to a report in Information Week. The agency has disparate data sources, including a smart-card payment system, GPS-based automatic vehicle location devices on buses, automatic passenger counters on trolleys, and extensive route and schedule information formatted in the general transit feed specification (GTFS) format developed by Google in 2006. "We look at all
  • Colombia awards major traffic management contract to Indra
    May 8, 2014
    Colombian highway concessionaire Coviandes has awarded Indra the contract, worth nearly US$35 million, for the design, installation and start-up of the intelligent traffic systems (ITS) the control and communications systems for 45 kilometres of the Bogota-Villavicencio highway in Colombia.