Skip to main content

Australia steps up to next level of ITS deployment

The recent 2013 Australian ITS summit revealed that Australia is moving rapidly from test beds and pilots to real world applications of new ITS technologies, especially in the vehicle sector. The summit identified some next steps in technology to improve Australia’s transport networks, including: integrated public transport systems; interoperability of communications and ITS platforms; totally integrated multi-modal, real time traveller information; roll out of managed motorway systems; and autonomous ve
September 30, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
The recent 2013 Australian ITS summit revealed that Australia is moving rapidly from test beds and pilots to real world applications of new ITS technologies, especially in the vehicle sector.

The summit identified some next steps in technology to improve Australia’s transport networks, including: integrated public transport systems; interoperability of communications and ITS platforms; totally integrated multi-modal, real time traveller information; roll out of managed motorway systems; and autonomous vehicles and “platooning” to increase road network capacity and safety.

858 ITS Australia president Brian Negus said Australia’s third biennial summit demonstrated an energised convergence of government, industry and academia to focus on both the forward strategy for national ITS, and the actual projects and initiatives required to deliver improved mobility, safety and sustainable travel.

“Governments are recognising that ITS applications can ‘sweat the asset’, but clearly the challenge is to get more funding into the sector. This amplifies the need to demonstrate the real benefits from the trials being run,” he said.

Summit delegates learned there is great synergy between the strategies and initiatives across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, and Australia was recognised as a leading developer and installer of ITS.

Chairman of 560 ITS America Peter Sweatman, who was a keynote speaker, emphasised the renowned capability of Australia in the international ITS industry, highlighting in particular the areas of road safety and freight where he considers Australia to be a world leader.

ITS Australia chief executive officer Susan Harris said it was satisfying to see a wider range of ITS representatives at this year’s summit, including delegates from spatial and mapping, transport and logistics, transit, traffic sensing and other specialist fields.

“The varied inputs at the summit reflected the need for and importance of clear policies and strategies to ensure that key industry issues are addressed. This is critical to get traction in priority areas in an industry that is so diverse and technically complex,” she said.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Ertico partners in step for Europe-wide cooperative traffic systems
    December 5, 2012
    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
  • Car to car communications a step closer
    December 14, 2012
    Vehicle manufacturers have targeted 2015 for the first cars to roll off European assembly lines fitted with operational V2X technology. They and their partners in the Car 2 Car Communications Consortium are confident of meeting the target, reports Jon Masters. Around three years from now vehicles should be appearing in showrooms boasting the capability of communicating with each other. Manufacturers will have started fitting the first proprietary car-to-car driver-aid safety devices and deployment of ‘vehic
  • Australia's ground breaking average speed enforcement
    February 1, 2012
    The speed enforcement system on the Hume Highway in Australia combines both spot and point-to-point solutions. Here, Redflex's Peter Whyte discusses its implementation. The Australian State of Victoria has achieved notable success in reducing casualty rates since launching a three-pronged road accident prevention initiative in the late-1980s.
  • Transurban announces preferred contractor for NorthConnex
    March 18, 2014
    Melbourne-based toll-road operator Transurban Group has announced that the consortium Lend Lease Bouygues is set to design and build the Sydney, Australia, NorthConnex tunnel link between the M1 and M2 motorways in the city’s northwest. The nine kilometre, 80 km/h tolled link involves two motorway tunnels, built with a three lane capacity for future growth but initially marked for two lanes each way. It provides the missing link in the National Highway Network and offers a safe and more efficient way of