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World Congress opens to news of Austrian telematics developments

Austria’s Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology has announced the start of a major test programme to evaluate telematics devices. Speaking at a press conference to launch the World Congress, Doris Bures said that from next week, 3,000 Austrian motorists would participate in a scheme to deliver in-vehicle road information. Geographcally-targeted information on road conditions, weather and traffic would be transmitted to drivers. “If you’re in a car driving on a motorway in eastern Austria,
October 22, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Doris Bures, Fedral Minister for Transport
Austria’s Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology has announced the start of a major test programme to evaluate telematics devices.

Speaking at a press conference to launch the World Congress, Doris Bures said that from next week, 3,000 Austrian motorists would participate in a scheme to deliver in-vehicle road information. Geographcally-targeted information on road conditions, weather and traffic would be transmitted to drivers.

“If you’re in a car driving on a motorway in eastern Austria, it’s not interesting to you whether, in the west of Austria, there is congestion in a tunnel. So, you will only get those pieces of information that are important for the sections of road where you are driving.”

The test, being organised by Austria’s motorway operator 750 ASFINAG, will culminate in an evaluation of the performance of the system and whether any modifications are necessary. “The goal is to develop the most sophisticated and outstanding technology that can be launched on to the market,” said Bures.

She added that her ministry had provided around €100 million of funding for ITS projects over the past decade and helped the Austria’s ITS sector to grow to 20,000 jobs.

Meanwhile, Christian Kern, CEO of Austrian Railways, announced that his company would shortly sign a contract with 1691 Google to aid travel mobility. Although details were still confidential, he said it would be similar to an arrangement between Google and 5344 Deutsche Bahn, the German rail operator, which provides a platform giving information on train connections.

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