Skip to main content

Smart transport systems investment will continue to grow despite public sector cuts

The ITS sector is now going through an evolution driven by the maturation of communications technologies and their increasing adoption in major cities worldwide. The widespread availability of high-speed networks, both fixed and wireless, along with the ability to embed intelligence in physical objects throughout the urban environment and the diffusion of mobile devices that can send and receive real-time vehicle or infrastructure information, is driving the adoption of smart transportation systems in citie
May 30, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSSThe ITS sector is now going through an evolution driven by the maturation of communications technologies and their increasing adoption in major cities worldwide. The widespread availability of high-speed networks, both fixed and wireless, along with the ability to embed intelligence in physical objects throughout the urban environment and the diffusion of mobile devices that can send and receive real-time vehicle or infrastructure information, is driving the adoption of smart transportation systems in cities across the developed world and in major emerging economies. According to a recent report from 5644 Pike Research, these deployments are likely to continue to grow even as public infrastructure spending flattens or even declines in many cases.

The market intelligence firm forecasts that global investment in four key applications for smart transportation systems will total US$13.1 billion between 2011 and 2017.

“Even as governments seek to reduce their debt, ITS will not see significant cutbacks and will, in fact, benefit as transportation agencies seek to optimise their existing infrastructure, rather than fund major new capital projects,” says senior analyst Lisa Jerram. “Cities, transit operators, and other owners of transportation assets see smart transportation technologies as tools to help them enhance mobility, reduce fuel consumption and emissions, improve safety, and strengthen economic competitiveness.”

The area of heaviest investment in smart transportation will be traffic management systems, which encompass a range of applications, including traveller information, congestion charging, and adaptive signalling. By the end of the forecast period, these systems will be ubiquitous, with virtually every major city offering such a service. What will change over the forecast period is that these systems will become increasingly dynamic, with cities adding alternate route instructions or predictive traffic easement.

Pike Research’s report, Smart Transportation Systems, focuses on four key smart transportation sectors: traffic management systems, smart charging for plug-in electric vehicles, public transportation systems, and vehicle-to-vehicle systems. The study provides a comprehensive examination of market drivers for smart transportation infrastructure investment, including an assessment of the various approaches being taken in key countries around the world. Key industry players are profiled and market forecasts for each region are provided through 2017. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Urban mobility and demand management - the Mobility Credits Model
    January 26, 2012
    Vito Marcolongo and Marco Troglia, Quaeryon srl describe the Mobility Credits Model, which is intended to combine inducements and fairness to improve mobility while reducing its more negative economic and environmental effects
  • Lack of funds holding back smart cities, says Wi-Sun
    July 4, 2019
    Lack of investment is the biggest challenge to smart city development, according to half the people who took part in a poll. Wi-Sun Alliance says a fifth of participants in its survey point to security and privacy issues while 14% see interoperability as a major factor for progressing deployments. Wi-Sun – whose members include Cisco and Toshiba - seeks to accelerate the implementation of open standards-based field area networks and the Internet of Things (IoT). Phil Beecher, CEO of Wi-Sun, says
  • Level 4/5 autonomous driving will be possible in the next five years, says research
    May 9, 2017
    Growing consumer preference for convenience-enhancing technologies and automobiles-as-a-service options helped double the adoption of vehicles with automated driving features in 2016, says Frost & Sullivan’s mobility team. Going forward, large-scale investments from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will refine the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive cloud-based technology solutions even further, enabling level 4/5 autonomous driving within the next five years. Retrofitted automated driv
  • The future of in-vehicle navigation systems
    February 3, 2012
    TRL's Alan Stevens looks at the evolution and future prospects of in-vehicle navigation devices. Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) plays a crucial role in the safety of vehicles on our roads. Until we achieve full automation (and that's a debatable prospect anyway) a driver's interaction with the vehicle - all the controls, information and systems - holds a pivotal role in safe driving.