UNECE’s role in the promotion of Intelligent …...23 Background document T he world’s citizens depend on safe, efficient and secure transport systems. Whether we travel by road,

UNECE’s role in the promotion ofIntelligent Transport Systems

Background document

ITS for sustainable mobility22

Backgroundocument

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The world’s citizens depend on safe, efficient and securetransport systems. Whether we travel by road, boat, rail or airwe rely on our transportation systems to get us where we

need to go. The same systems play an important role in our nationaleconomic well-being, making it possible to move goods from placeto place and to succeed in the global marketplace. Starting from anoverview of the actions so far initiated by the United NationsEconomic Commission for Europe (UNECE) on IntelligentTransport Systems (ITS), the final aim of this document is toproduce a policy vision summarizing and addressing theopportunities created by the application of new technologies intransport, and consequently to draft action proposals for theimplementation of ITS.

“There must be a reason why some people can affordto live well. I only feel angry when I see the waste”(Mother Teresa of Calcutta)

Different systems of transport can be improved and made more efficient,providing safer travelling conditions, avoiding the waste of material resourcesand energy and protecting and enhancing human lives. Intelligent TransportSystems are integral to achieving this target.

This paper serves as an outlineof existing literature andcurrent technologies. Theopinions expressed by theauthors are in no way bindingto the Transport Division, theInland Transport Committee ofthe UNECE, the Italian Ministryof Infrastructures andTransport or SINA.The designations employed andthe presentation of material inthis publication do not imply theexpression of any opinionwhatsoever on the part of theSecretariat of the United Nations

concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, orof its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers andboundaries.

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When we look at transport systems,it is easy to see that the greatestchallenge we currently face is en-hancing the quality and safety ofmobility itself, by improving vehi-

cles and all relevant transport infrastructures. Any steps forward should take into considerationthe concept of efficiency, which is linked to energyconsumption and the use of land. This forces us toconsider the general impact that the mobility ofpeople and the transportation of goods have onthe environment around us.In this document, we will refer frequently to theconcepts of safety and security in transport. Roadsafety is a concern that affects us all in our every-day lives. Security is also important to us; both thegeneral public and businesses alike need to knowthat their vehicles and goods are safeguarded andthat they themselves are protected from fraudulentacts connected to transport and its infrastructure.Information and Communication Technologies(ICT) relating to road transport usage are ofteninternationally referred to as Intelligent TransportSystems (ITS). These include a wide range of or-ganisational and technology-based systems thatare designed to facilitate the realisation of effi-cient, seamless transport systems with optimisedtraffic flows, doing away with the bottlenecksand queues to which we have become accus-tomed. The deployment of ITS provides for thebetter usage of both existing road networks andavailable energy while also helping to curb acci-

dents and improve the efficiency of transport asa whole. Intelligent Transport Systems providestate-of-the-art customised devices that can relayreal-time information to road users and law en-forcement agencies, while also facilitating remoteaccess to pre-paid accounts and electronic pay-ments.Technologies that allow authorities and operatorsto achieve managed transport networks and moresustainable land mobility generally come under theumbrella of ITS. In-vehicle and roadside ITS includeall technologies that improve vehicle and infra-structure safety, enabling smooth and comfortabletransportation by making use of specific vehiclefunctions and interacting with roadside infrastruc-ture and sometimes other vehicles.

Intelligent Transport Systems solutions utilise ad-vanced information technologies related to driverassistance, traffic management and vehicle control,which are constantly improving the quality of in-teraction between highway systems and vehicles.

This document provides an overview on:(a) ICT for transport and logistics.(b) Concrete solutions for achieving better quality,

more secure and more efficient road transport.(c) Different transport modes and how they can

be twinned with road transport policies.(d) The extent to which ITS and ICT may be inte-

grated to enable better transport monitoring.

1. Introduction


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UN General Assembly resolutions havestated that over the coming decadestransportation is expected to be themajor driving force behind a growingworld demand for energy. All over the

globe adequate, efficient and effective transport sys-tems will make a huge difference in the way we liveour lives. Transport will play a key role in emergingeconomies, where the improvement of transportnetworks will lead to - amongst other things - thereclamation of marshes and unusable land, improvedaccess to markets, improved employment and edu-cation opportunities and the establishment of basicservices critical to poverty reduction.

Road accidents: the No. 1 policy challengeUN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon(1): “This year,more than one million people across the world willdie from road traffic injuries. This total includes about400,000 people under 25 years old, and road trafficcrashes are the leading cause of death for 10 to 24-year-olds. Several million more men, women andyoung people will be injured or disabled. In additionto the human suffering, the annual cost of road trafficinjuries worldwide runs to hundreds of billions of dol-lars. In low and middle-income countries, the economiccost of road injuries will be more than the developmentaid they receive. [...] urge UN member States and globalroad safety partners to foster cooperation under UNauspices”.

Road traffic injuries are a major but neglected publichealth concern requiring concerted multi-sectoral ef-forts for effective and sustainable prevention. In Eu-rope alone, every year road traffic accidents(2):

• Kill around 127,000 people.• Injure some 2.4 million.• Kill more children and young people aged

5-29 than any other cause of death.

In EU Member States road traffic accidents are theleading cause of death and hospital admission for

EU citizens under the age of 45. Mobility comes at ahigh price: 1,300,000 accidents a year cause 40,000deaths and 1,700,000 injuries on the roads in the EU.The direct and indirect costs have been estimated atEUR 160 billion, i.e. 2% of the GDP. Road safety con-tinues to be a priority area for action in the EU(3).Road traffic injury levels of this magnitude not onlypresent a pressing health issue, but affect societyas a whole. In lower-income countries budget con-straints and lack of resources result in poor infra-structure investment. In order to achieve leverage of costs, traffic plannersare still designing road networks largely from theperspective of motor vehicle users rather than tak-ing into account the spectrum of different vehicletypes and patterns of road use. For instance, makingsure that pedestrian and cycle paths connected topublic transportation systems have sections sepa-rate from roads as well as sections running parallelto roads, with particular attention devoted to safecrossings at junctions, would drastically reduce thenumber of traffic accident victims(4).With this in mind, during its 87th Plenary Meeting on31 March 2008, the General Assembly adopted res-olution 62/244 on improving global road safety.Through this resolution the General Assembly “reaf-

firms the importance of addressing global road

safety issues and the need for the further strength-

ening of international cooperation, taking into ac-

count the needs of developing countries by building

capacities in the field of road safety and providing

financial and technical support for their efforts”.When we look at EU institutions, their transportpolicies not only aimed at halving traffic-relatedcasualties by 2010, but also set of transport effi-ciency as an absolute priority, leading the way tobetter, more cost-effective transportation. In thefuture, evident improvements in environmental pro-tection and consequently the beneficial effects oncitizens’ daily lives could be directly linked to theEU’s action plan for ITS and the EU directive onITS which was adopted on 7 July 2010 (Directive2010/40/EU and COM (2008)886).The UN is deeply involved in the challenge presentedby environmental sustainability and climate change.Moreover, it is committed to the crucial necessity of

2. Long-term and wide-ranging transport objectives

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(1) UNECE, UNECE Transport Review - Road Safety, First edition - New York and Geneva, November 2008Available from www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/UNECE-Transport-Review-1-2008.pdf

(2) Available from www.euro.who.int/violenceinjury/injuries/20030911_1, August 2009

(3) Available from http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/observatory/doc/rsap_en.pdf, 2010

directing all possible efforts, inany field and by any means, to-wards curbing the impact thaturbanization, technological de-velopment and industrializa-tion have on the environment.The Millennium Development

Goals have been defined as key policy objectives forthe UN and include a specific goal dedicated to “En-vironmental Sustainability”. The UN considers theachievement of this goal as one of the fundamentalprinciples for world development.

Environmental sustainability: a policy for current and futuregenerationsFrom remarks(6) made by UN Secretary-General BanKi-moon to the Global Environment Forum on 11 Au-gust 2009: “Reykjavik in Iceland... Curitiba in Brazil...Kampala in Uganda... Sydney in Australia. Whenever Ivisit these places, I am impressed. People everywhereare accepting that we must all live cleaner, greener,more sustainable lives. This is our future”. [...] “I promiseyou my best effort as Secretary-General of the UnitedNations - my best effort to push, pull and cajole nationalleaders into acting in our common global interest”.UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in addressing theUniversity of Copenhagen, Denmark, on 3 October 2009:“If there is one lesson that we must learn from the climatecrisis and our great challenges, it is this: we share one pla-net, one small blue speck in space. As people, as nations,as a species: we sink or swim together”.

Since the introduction of Agenda 21 in 1992(5), a com-prehensive plan of actions has been gradually realised

globally, nationally and locally by the organizationsof the United Nations, governments, and stakeholders.These measures are set to make significant contribu-tions to the quality of life of the world’s citizensthrough caring for the Earth’s ecosystems.During the Ministerial Conference on Global Envi-ronment and Energy in Transport (MEET), held inTokyo, Japan on 15-16 January 2009, as well asMEET 2010, held in Rome (Italy) on 8 and 9 No-vember, the ministers and relevant representativesresponsible for environment and energy in thetransport sector, stated: “Transport is an important

foundation of our society, supporting a wide range

of human activities, and contributing to economic

and social development. It is, at the same time, re-

sponsible for considerable emissions of carbon

dioxide (CO2), which impacts global climate, and

air pollutants, which impact public health and the

environment of many urban areas”(7).Urgent action is required to address these issueswhile also adhering to sustainable development prin-ciples. One of the ways in which this can be achievedis through a shared long-term vision of realizing low-carbon and low-pollution transport systems. If welook at environmental policy targets while consid-ering the general principles of the Kyoto Protocol,environmental planning and management policiesrelated to transport should also be established. Applying new technologies to transport could in-deed be seen as an efficient tool for realizing theplans set during the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) sum-mits in Bali (2007) and in Poznań (2008), as wellas in Copenhagen (2009), Cancun (2010) and Dur-ban (2011). Within this framework, the UNECE re-gion could play a pivotal role in contributing to thefight against climate change and lead the way in


(4) WHO report (2004)(5) Agenda 21, the “Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,” and the “Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of

Forests” were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Riode Janerio, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992 http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21

(6) Available from www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=557

(7) Available from The Ministerial Conference on Global Environment and Energy in Transport, Tokyo, Japan, 14th-16th January 2009

1. Millennium

Development

Goal 7

2. UN Secretary

General

Ban Ki-moon

3. Reference

manual of the

Kyoto Protocol(9)

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Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020Road safety is one of the most serious challenges facingsociety today with more than one million fatalities everyyear. United Nations General Assembly resolution 64/255declared the period 2011-2020 as a decade of action forRoad Safety, with a goal to reduce road traffic fatalitiesworldwide.UNECE has pioneered road safety activities in the UNsystem. As the only UN intergovernmental body con-cerned with road safety, it develops and administersinternational legal instruments in the area of traffic re-gulations, construction and technical inspection of ve-hicles as well as safe transport of dangerous goods.

These instruments have assisted member States acrossthe world to harmonize and enforce traffic rules, pro-duce safe and clean road vehicles, reduce the risk ofaccidents with dangerous goods and hazardous ma-terials and ensure that only safe and well maintainedvehicles and competent drivers are allowed to partici-pate in traffic. Moreover, transport infrastructure agree-ments developed under UNECE auspices, have givenEurope coherent pan-European and safer road tran-sport networks. The UNECE attaches great weight tothe Decade of action increasing road safety and it hasambitious plans for a series of road safety activities toeducate, to raise awareness, to induce action and tocreate dynamic and effective responses.

achieving the targets set by UN Millennium Devel-opment Goal 7, balancing the socio-economicneeds brought by radical industrial changes with apolicy of sustainable development and efficienttransport networks. This also includes considera-tion of the critical limits imposed by the Gothen-burg Protocol in 1999 on the environmental effectsof acidification, eutrophication and ground-levelozone through emission cuts in SO2, NOx, NMVOCsand ammonia.This vision of placing transport in a challenging ven-ture with environmental issues is also being pursuedpractically through the gradual accomplishment ofthe UNECE Pan-European Programme on Transport,Health and Environment (THE PEP). This programmeincludes the transport, health and environment sec-tors currently implementing innovative technologicalpolicies aimed at curbing CO2 emissions and makesa remarkable contribution to global climate change.When discussing the policy direction and environ-mental approach that transport should take, it is im-portant to consider the recent Amsterdam declara-

tion on Transport Choices for Health, Environmentand Prosperity (January 2009(10)), where the prioritygoals of reducing the emission of transport-relatedgreenhouse gases, air pollutants and noise were setto improve the quality of life in urban areas. Culturalchange, therefore, has to be achieved through plan-ning clean and efficient public transport, intermodalconnections and infrastructure for environmentallyfriendly and health-friendly transport.

Priority Goal No. 2 of theAmsterdam Declaration“To manage sustainable mobility and promote a moreefficient transport system by promoting mobility ma-nagement schemes for businesses, schools, leisure ac-tivities, communities and cities, raising awareness ofmobility choices by improving the coordination bet-ween land use and transport planning and promotingthe use of information technology”. Here we can cle-arly observe that the use of ITS is key to the propo-sed policy.

In order to reach all these objectives, governmentalpolicymakers, together with international bodiessuch as the World Forum for Harmonization of Ve-hicle Regulations of the United Nations EconomicCommission for Europe (UNECE/WP.29), encour-age the research, development and deployment(RD&D) of innovative technologies and promotethe use of concrete measures such as ITS tech-nologies. It is clear that technological development, or theupgrading of the technological infrastructure of atransport network, is an essential component forenhancing quality of life and integral to achievinga transport network that is both efficient and com-plies with environment and energy ideals. Sharing the same vision, the European Commission(EC) issued a White Paper in 2001 (reviewed in 2006)

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(8) Available from http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.pdf

(9) Available from http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/08_unfccc_kp_ref_manual.pdf

(10) Available from http://www.unece.org/press/pr2009/09env_p01_Add1_e.htm See http://www.euro.who.int/document/E92356.pdf

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Kyoto ProtocolThe Kyoto Protocol(8) is an international agreement linked to the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change, that sets commitments, binding targets and mandatory actionsfor 37 industrialized countries and the European Community in order to reduce greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions. Each Party signing the Protocol, in achieving its quantified emission limitationand reduction commitments (see Protocol art. 3), is bound to implement and/or further elaboratethe policies and measures listed in article 2 of the Protocol. The first of the policies undertakenby Parties signing the Protocol is the: “Enhancement of energy efficiency in relevant sectors of thenational economy”. Kyoto Protocol article 2, a, (i). In the field of transport the promotion and de-ployment of ITS is a measure fully consistent and compliant with this policy.

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asserting that member States and operators need towork on all modal areas as a whole. The 2006 revisedof the White Paper(11) allocates a wide window ofpossibility for the use of ITS. In addition, halvingthe number of road fatalities on EU roads in the pe-riod up to 2010 was one of the strongest commit-ments EU policy makers made in the White paper. While approaching the end of the 10-year periodcovered by the 2001 White Paper, the EC thoughtthat it was time to look further ahead and definea vision for the future of transport. Therefore,they published the Communication on the Futureon Transport in June 2009. With other actions,this led to the new White Paper “Roadmap to a

Single European Transport Area - Towards a

competitive and resource efficient transport sys-

tem” COM (2011) 144 as well as their Road Safetyprogramme 2011-2020. Halving the number of EU road fatalities has notbeen achieved in all EU countries by 2010, but itcan be noted that since 2001 the number of roadfatalities has decreased dramatically across theEU. Today there are 35 per cent fewer accidentsthan there were 10 years ago. Some countries haveeven seen more dramatic reductions, such as Latviawith 55 per cent and Portugal, Estonia and Spainwith half the number of fatalities than of 2001.As already mentioned, in December 2008 the ECproposed the ITS Action Plan and Directive tothe European Parliament and European Council.This was a step toward the deployment and useof ITS in road transport for the European Union.The action plan suggests a set of concrete meas-ures, supplemented with a proposal for a directivelaying down the framework for their implemen-tation. The EC deems that ITS can significantlycontribute to a cleaner, safer and more efficienttransport system. Indeed, Antonio Tajani, former Commission Vice-President responsible for transport, stated whenpresenting the Action Plan: “Making transport

greener, reducing congestion and saving lives on

Europe’s roads are high priorities for the Commis-

sion. Intelligent Transport Systems will help us

make progress towards achieving these goals. To-

day’s initiative will therefore foster a more efficient,

safer and more sustainable mobility in Europe”(12).At an international level, key figures from gov-ernment and politics, business and industry, re-search organizations and civil society are debat-ing the worldwide strategic importance oftransport. The International Transport Forum(13)

(ITF) is a global platform and meeting place atthe highest level for discussing transport, logistics

and mobility. In this respect, it is worthwhile ref-erencing two products from the forum:1. “Resolution 2003/1 on assessment and deci-

sion making for integrated transport and en-

vironment policy”, in which it is recommendedthat a systematic evaluation of economic, socialand environmental effects is carried out for alltransport plans and programmes and all majortransport sector investments.

2. The OECD/RTR publication: “Delivering the

Goods - 21st century challenges to urban goods

transport” - an outcome of the WorkingGroup’s efforts to identify “best practices” indealing with challenges facing urban goodstransport, recommending measures to developsustainable goods transport systems in Organ-isation for Economic Cooperation and Devel-opment (OECD) cities. The mission is to pro-mote economic development in OECDmember countries by enhancing transportsafety, efficiency and sustainability through acooperative research programme on road andintermodal transport.

Both of these recommendations have been realizedin order to promote integrated development inglobal transport, a drive for which ITS harmoniza-tion is integral. The OECD/RTR publication alsorecommends(14) a wide range of compliance/as-surance mechanisms that need to be investigated,including on-road enforcement, audit systems andsurveillance methods (including the use ofITS/electronic monitoring systems). Transportsystems are a major factor in economic develop-ment and the promotion of the sustainable de-velopment of transport networks, which shouldbe the overall aim of efficient transport policies,systems and travel services. When looking at the three major aspects of roadsafety (vehicles, infrastructure and the behaviouraltraits of road users) it appears evident that the useof new technologies and the deployment of ITSwould facilitate progress in all three domains. Im-provement in road safety and transport would be aconsequence. The experiences of member Statesand road operators show how even relatively smallinvestments in ITS provide for a better use of exist-ing infrastructure. ITS could offer a swift answer tothe demand for more efficient, cleaner and safertransport, both for passenger and freight services.Thanks to the strategic opportunities offered by ITSand its relative cost-efficiency, many institutions andstakeholders consider the deployment of ITS to bea key opportunity for transport policymakers interms of delivering seamless and efficient cus-


(11) Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Keep Europe moving - Sustainable mobility for our continent- Mid-term review of the European Commission’s 2001 Transport White paper [COM(2006)314]Available from http://ec.europa.eu/transport/strategies/2006_keep_europe_moving_en.htm

(12) Available from http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1979&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLan-

guage=en

(13) Formerly the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, the International Transport Forum is an inter-governmental organization within the

tomized transport solutions across large geographi-cal areas. Intelligent Transport Systems offer thepossibility of providing road users with several state-of-the-art technological services, thus acceleratingthe advancement of economic, environmental andsocial benefits. The potential benefits that can begained from real-time information (position of vehi-cles, relevant itinerary, information on goods, etc.)must not be limited to the classic ITS mainstays ofsafety and efficiency; there is also the possibility ofelectronically integrating road freight traffic withinthe overall administrative framework of intermodaltransport, creating a more integrated and automatedprocess and facilitating automatic procedures thatare both more efficient and user-friendly. Consequently, ITS applications have a major roleto play in the abovementioned policy goals; newtechnologies are indispensable tools for quicklyperforming otherwise long-winded transport ob-jectives. The use of advanced ITS technologycould also provide an opportunity to promote theconcept of a model where road transport fullyintegrates with other transport modes, whereeach mode complements the next, enabling amore efficient global transport system - a systemthat is also environmentally friendly. Further-more, the deployment of ITS has to be valued asa winning factor for countries with economies intransition, where the high-tech upgrading of in-frastructure could help bypass existing hin-drances and gaps in road networks, providing

safer and faster mobility which, as explained be-fore, is one of the pillars of building a societybased upon equity and social justice.The Economic and Social Commission for Asiaand the Pacific (ESCAP) Conference held in June2007 in Bangkok, Thailand focused on the utiliza-tion and advancement of the transport potentialof the corridors in Western Asia. The occasionacted as a special awakening, where the ESCAPRegional Forum of Freight Forwarders, Multi-modal Transport Operators and Logistics ServiceProviders lay out (as they did at the MinisterialConference on Transport held in Busan, SouthKorea, in November 2006) the crucial need toconcentrate on the development of an interna-tional integrated infrastructural road networkable to support the intermodal transport and lo-gistics system of the South Western Asia region,under the overall framework of sustainable de-velopment. The deployment of ITS is a key factorfor shaping a competitive and proper sub-re-gional, regional and international network forsafer and more cost-effective transport systems.In this way, under the auspices of the UN and itsregional commissions, information sharing, bestpractice and further opportunities can be nur-tured through a culture of mutual assistance inITS-focused programmes that enhance the con-cept of transport corridors, the application oftime-cost/distance methodologies and providecustomized assistance for development.

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OECD family. Its founding member countries include all the OECD members, as well as many countries in Central and Eastern EuropeIn addition, Brazil, China and India are being invited to participate. The involvement of more than 50 Ministers of Transport ensures direct linksand strong relevance to policy making at both national and international levels. The aim is to foster a deeper understanding of the essential roleplayed by transport in the economy and society

(14) Available from http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/Pub/pdf/05Standards.pdf Chapter “Executive summary and recommendations”,

page 13

Technological innovation and the use ofInformation and Communication Tech-nologies (ICT) for transport relate tothe whole set of procedures, systemsand devices that enable:

(a) Improvements in the mobility of people andtransportation of passengers and goods,through the collection, communication, pro-cessing and distribution of information.

(b) The acquisition of feedback on experiencesand a quantification of the results gathered.

References shall be made to assessments con-ducted on the impact that ICT have on the qualityof transport services, energy consumption, the ef-ficiency of road transport, safety, cost-effectivenessand environmental friendliness.Information and Communication Technologies ap-plied to transport(15) are therefore essentially basedupon a series of supporting communication sys-tems, which can be considered as the foundationsdeveloping any piece of technological equipmentor ITS service. These systems include:• Telecommunication Networks (TLC).• Automatic identification systems (AEI/AVI(16)).• Systems for automatically locating vehicles

(AVLS(17)).• Protocols for the electronic exchange of data

(EDI(18)).• Cartographic databases and information

sytems providing geographical data (GIS(19)).• Systems for the collection of traffic data, in-

cluding Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) and systemsfor the automatic classification of vehicles.

• Systems for counting the number of users of apublic transport system (APC(20)).

The above listed information and communicationsupport systems, which can be integrated withone another in specific configurations dependingon the requirements and features of differenttransport modes and services, can be applied tohelp increase efficiency and competitiveness, pre-vent human error, limit pollution and improve

overall quality of service. The individual “foun-dation stones” can be assembled according to dif-ferent architectural needs in order to performspecific services.Among such support systems, telecommunicationnetworks are key elements that provide a backbonefor associating some of the other above listed sys-tems. Intelligent Transportation Systems encom-pass a broad range of wireless and wireline com-munication-based information and electronictechnologies. When integrated into the infrastruc-ture of transportation systems and in vehicles them-selves these technologies relieve congestion, im-prove safety and enhance transport systemproductivity.The EC’s “e-safety” initiative Working Group on “In-telligent Infrastructure”, co-chaired by the EuropeanAssociation of Tolled Motorway, Bridge and Tunnels(ASECAP) and the Conference of European Direc-tors of Roads (CEDR), issued the following defini-tion(21):“Intelligent Infrastructure is roadside organisa-

tionsal structure and technology for ICT-based,

cooperative services that are beneficial for both

road users and road network operators”.

According to a definition from the Research andInnovative Technology Administration (RITA(22)),ITS is made up of 16 types of technology-basedsystems. According to this classification, these sys-tems can be further divided into the subcategories“intelligent infrastructure” and “intelligent vehicle”.Each definition has several components, accordingto RITA.Intelligent infrastructure includes:• Arterial management (surveillance, traffic con-

trol, lane management, parking management,information dissemination, enforcement).

• Freeway management (surveillance, ramp con-trol, lane management, special event response,transportation management, information dis-semination, enforcement).

• Crash prevention & safety (road geometry


3. Technical overview of Intelligent Transport Systems

3.1 Basic definitions and preliminary considerations

(15) Here the broad range of on-board applications using ICT is relates only to infrastructure, transport and traffic(16) Automatic Equipment Identification, Automatic Vehicle Identification(17) Automatic Vehicle Locating System(18) Electronic Data Interchange(19) Geographic Information System(20) Automatic Passenger Counters

warning, highway-rail crossing warning sys-tems, intersection collision warning, pedes-trian safety, bicycle warning, animal warning).

• Road weather management (surveillance,monitoring & prediction, information dissem-ination, advisory strategies, traffic control,control strategies, response & treatment -treatment strategies).

• Roadway operations & maintenance (informa-tion dissemination, surveillance, work zonemanagement).

• Transit management (operations & fleet man-agement, information dissemination, transporta-tion demand management, safety & security).

• Traffic incident management (surveillance &detection, mobilization & response, informa-tion dissemination, clearance & recovery).

• Emergency management (hazardous materialsmanagement, emergency medical services, re-sponse & recovery).

• Electronic payment and pricing (toll collec-tion, transit fare payment, parking fee pay-ment, multi-use payment, pricing).

• Traveler information (pre-trip information, enroute information, tourism & events).

• Information management (data archiving).• Commercial vehicle operations (credentials

administration, safety assurance, electronicscreening, carrier operations & fleet manage-ment, security operations).

• Intermodal freight (freight tracking, surveil-lance, freight terminal processes, drayage op-erations, freight-highway connector system,international border crossing processes).

Intelligent vehicle includes:• Collision avoidance (intersection collision

warning, obstacle detection, lane change as-sistance, lane departure warning, rollover

warning, road departure warning, forward col-lision warning, rear impact warning).

• Driver assistance (navigation/route guidance,driver communication, vision enhancement,object detection, adaptive cruise control, in-telligent speed control, lane keeping assis-tance, roll stability control, drowsy driverwarning systems, precision docking, cou-pling/decoupling, on-board monitoring).

• Collision notification (mayday/automated col-lision notification, advanced automated colli-sion notification).

If we look at roadside ITS applications and services,the European project “EasyWay(23)” classifies themas follows:• Traveller information services provide travellers

with comprehensive real-time traffic informa-tion allowing well-informed travel decisions(pre-trip information) as well as informationduring the journey (on-trip).

• Traffic management services provide real-timeguidance information to the traveller andhauler, detecting incidents and emergenciesto ensure the safe and efficient use of the roadnetwork. Enforcement is part of traffic man-agement.

• Freight and logistics services aim to optimisethe capacity and efficiency of goods transportby providing safe and easy access to intermodalterminals (ports, rail and road connections, etc.).

• Connected ICT infrastructure that works effi-ciently is a prerequisite for ITS deployment pro-viding the end user services with informationfrom systems that monitor the road situation inreal time and enabling different operators at na-tional or cross-border level to ensure interoper-ability and continuity of services through har-monized data provided by connected systems.

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(21) Available from www.esafetysupport.org/en/esafety_activities/esafety_working_groups/intelligent_infrastructure.htm

(22) The Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) coordinates the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) research programsand is charged with advancing the deployment of cross-cutting technologies to improve the transportation system of the United States. The clas-sification of ITS technologies as consolidated and proposed by RITA is summarized on its website (www.its.dot.gov/index.htm)

(23) Project co-financed by European Commission DG TREN, available from www.easyway-its.eu

Transport is a key tool for most services re-lated to trade, information and finance. Tradebetween different continents may require air

or sea transport, whereas intra-continental tradeis heavily reliant on road and rail freight.In European countries, the past few years havedemonstrated a growing demand for roadtransport - a demand that has been rising evenmore rapidly than GDP itself - undoubtedly dueto the growth of private traffic (industrializedcountries’ citizens have become more and moreaccustomed to the convenience and flexibilityof private vehicles) and to the increased de-mand for available goods (which implies com-mercial import/export traffic). Before the eco-nomic crisis, the EC estimated a minimumgrowth of 15 per cent in road traffic in thedecade starting in 2010(24). The 2008 economic downturn, which has influ-enced productive assets all over the globe, sig-nificantly reduced traffic on motorways, specif-ically among heavy-goods vehicles.Considering this reduction in traffic we can ex-pect that in the forthcoming years traffic growthwill cause the transport system to recover to-wards the traffic levels of 2007, before startingto significantly increase once again.Transport is an essential asset of the economyof the European region. According to the EC(25)

the transport industry as a whole accounts foraround 7 per cent of GDP and for over 5 percent of total employment in the EU (of which4.4 per cent corresponds to transport servicesand the rest to transport equipment manufac-turing) while 8.9 million jobs are created bytransport services and 3 million by transportequipment manufacturing.If we examine employment by mode of transportfrom EU statistics(26), road transport (bothfreight and passenger) accounts for around 52per cent of overall employment in the differenttransport modes. Road transport is an essentialelement of the global economy. In fact, it has major economic, social and envi-ronmental implications.Economically, the more a country is able to in-crease its overall infrastructural estate, the morethe economic system appears to be in transitionfrom a context prevailingly based upon the pro-

duction of new, directly tangible assets - both in-dustrial and civil (the latter concerning both build-ings and transport infrastructure) - to anotherbased upon the operation, maintenance and serv-icing of such assets. The second economic state can be labelled the“optimization phase”, where safety, security,quality and efficiency become the main watch-words for operators. This model is true for thosedeveloped countries that have a widely branchedtransportation network and consequently needto continuously devote resources to its mainte-nance, operation and upgrade.The concept of efficiency, which is intrinsicallylinked to energy consumption and the use of landby infrastructure and the vehicles on that infra-structure, leads to a need to assess the impactmade on the environment caused by the mobilityof people through the operation of motor vehi-cles and the transportation of goods.The priorities of transport policies throughoutthe European region in the forthcoming decadeshould be based on the following factors: (a) In the years ahead, it is likely that a rise in

demand for the provision of transport infra-structures could challenge traffic planners -as happened in previous decades, especiallyin emerging economies. This is an assump-tion that could only be brought about by thegreater future average mobility of peopleand therefore a greater level of displacementfrom and to workplaces and householdsthrough a rise in the amount of goods thatneed to be moved.

(b) There is a need to focus on the maintenance,improvement and completion of existingprojects while at the same time pursuinggreater safety, security and quality in termsof fluidity in movement and waiting times,as well as pursuing efficiency, mainly interms of savings in energy and consequentlythe quality of the environment.

A single correct approach that takes these intoaccount does not exist. Each developed countryor emerging economy needs a specific solutionresponsive to its own economic growth trend,public needs and demand for sustainable devel-opment.ITS cannot offer the solution to all transport

ITS for sustainable mobility

(24) Eva Molnar, “Becoming wise about ITS”, Intelligent Transport ISSN 1757-3440(25) Communication “A sustainable future for transport: Towards an integrated, technology-led and user friendly system” adopted by the

Commission on 17 June 2009, available from http://ec.europa.eu/transport/strategies/2009_future_of_transport_en.htm

(26) DG TREN, “EU Energy and Transport in figures”

32

3.2 Road transport: the growing interest in safety, security, quality and efficiency

Safety and security in Information and Com-munication Technologies (ICT) should dis-tinguish between:

(a) Safe driving and (in the broadest sense) thesafety of people.

(b) Security and the protection of both vehiclesand goods, also in relation to incidents result-ing from fraudulent acts.

Safety in a transport system entails being able totravel or perform the displacement of one or morevehicles or goods under safe conditions (i.e. wherethe level of hazards is as low as possible). Naturally,the long-term target is to achieve negligible or zerorisk but common experience dictates that no hu-man activity is completely risk-free. When vehiclesare in motion, hazards may be caused by:(a) The driver, or any users of the transport infra-

structure.(b) The vehicle or the means of transport, includ-

ing what the vehicle is transporting (passen-gers, goods, etc.).

(c) The infrastructure and the surrounding envi-ronment.

If we look at the role of the driver, safety issues typ-ically arise from a sharp variation in one or morefactors other than the driver's actual behaviour (thedriver’s reaction itself linked to other prerequisitessuch as driving skill, psychological and physical con-dition, behavioural approach to driving, etc.) andthe performance of the vehicle they are driving. Tools and devices - typically for real time informationand normally made up of ICT tools (both for on-board and roadside ITS) - can be used to support tothe driver:(a) To influence the behaviour of a single driver

or to intervene to aid them.(b) To make up for their temporary inability/inat-

tention or for the possible occurrence of weakpsychological and physical conditions and ir-regular behaviour.

(c) To influence public behaviour, promoting thebetter use of alternative infrastructures or to

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3.3 The concepts of safety and security in transport: the role of the Intelligent Transport Systems

problems, but ITS can ameliorate in a wide rangeof situations with an intelligent use of existingcapacity and infrastructure, reducing the wasteof energy and resources from the improper andinefficient use of the transport system as awhole.Finally, the efficiency promoted by ITS is nor-

mally linked to the productivity of macro-eco-nomic systems and consequently assumes agreater economic multiplier effect. The effectsresulting from the process should not only bevisible when observing the direct impact, butalso when one recognises the leverage exertedon the economy.

Developed and developing countriesRoad networks in developed economies are usually wellevolved but the high level of registered traffic meansgreater and greater measures are required to ease con-gestion, remove bottlenecks, achieve overall optimizationof the network and realize safer and more energy-efficienttransport solutions both in rural and urban areas. Highlybranched road networks, together with roads alreadyequipped with a basic or advanced level of ITS and com-munication systems, present the opportunity to operatesmarter and more efficient services. Traffic volume in de-veloping countries is usually lower, and infrastructureless evolved when compared to developed countries.

Consequently, congestion levels are not necessarily lowerand resultant pollution, specifically in urban areas, is a si-gnificant concern. Developing countries are usually in aphase of infrastructure deployment. The cost of techno-logy is limited when compared to the cost of civil engi-neering work. This situation presents an important op-portunity for building state-of-the-art infrastructure andimplementing all necessary equipment. In both cases,high levels of traffic congestion can cause a reduction ineconomic activities and the augmentation of transportcosts, which strongly affects the local economy. In thiseventuality there is a critical need to conduct researchinto safety, security, quality control and efficiency.

delay the displacement of people or goods inthe case of unavailable road capacity, prevent-ing major queuing and lowering the risk ofpossible consequent uncomfortable and unsafedriving conditions.

(d) To monitor the correct use of the road, alertingthe driver or regulating their behaviour if in-appropriate actions occur.

The study of transport system safety focuses on anumber of factors, including the following:(a) The human factor: ability, psychological and

physical conditions and behaviour.(b) The vehicle or means of transport:

• Grip between tyres and road.• Running performance (acceleration,

braking or headway, stability).• Mechanical features of the structure

(vehicle shell, equipment).(c) Infrastructure: structural parameters (surface,

slope, elevation in curve, cross-section), safetyequipment (roadside barriers, lighting), avail-ability of facilities (toll barriers, service areas),current traffic levels and environmental con-ditions (humidity, frost, fog, blinding sunlight)- environmental factors that typically influencethe grip and stability of the vehicle or the clar-ity of the driver’s field of vision. Traffic canalso distract the attention of the driver andcreate misperception and miscalculation ofthe relative movements of other vehicles.

When an event changes current driving conditionsthe response of the vehicle is dictated by boththe driver (whose response depends on their in-dividual attributes and various other conditionsaffecting them) and by the vehicle (the responseof which is influenced by design criteria, mainte-nance levels, grip and environmental conditions).If an event that alters current conditions occurs,an accident during transportation usually tran-

spires when the overall system (driver/car) is re-quired to respond with a faster reaction time thanis possible.It appears clear - as in the case of all objects withthe potential to be dangerous - that it is possiblefor drivers to raise their own awareness levels ofthe risks associated with the inappropriate use ofa vehicle (sense of responsibility).Therefore, the leading principle of road safety iscareful or cautious driving accompanied by com-pliance with the rules of the road and by the ap-propriate psychological and physical conditionsfor driving.The role of engineering, including ITS, is to preventthe occurrence of accidents (i.e. through traffic in-formation systems and road design) or to be ableto smooth the consequences of errors and be ca-pable of studying and determining the causes ofproblems in order to facilitate a continuous processof safety improvement.Cars and other means of road transport were cre-ated to meet one of the primary needs of mankind:communication by displacement. When a vehicleis no longer used for such a primary purpose, whenbasic prerequisites of road use are not met andthere is a misperception of the hazard, then riskconditions normally arise. Human behaviour isrecognised worldwide as the No. 1 factor influenc-ing road safety(27), being fully or partially respon-sible for 93-95 per cent of accidents(28). It is a factthat man is not a machine designed for driving.Drivers are the main target of ITS through theprovision of information and alerts. The perform-ance of drivers in terms of safety can be greatlyimproved thanks to real-time information, warn-ings and automatic sanctions brought on by im-proper driving behaviour. ITS operate primarilyto better road safety, aiming to give rise to thebest possible cost/benefit ratio.


(27) “Recommendations of the Group of Experts on Safety in Road Tunnels”, p 21, drafted by the UNECE ad hoc Multidisciplinary Group of Expertson Safety in Tunnels (available from www.unece.org/trans/doc/2002/ac7/TRANS-AC7-09e.pdf)

(28) PIARC “Road safety manual 2003”, p 47, or “Recommendation of the Group of Experts on Safety in Road Tunnels”, drafted by the UNECE adhoc Multidisciplinary Group of Experts on Safety in Tunnels (available from www.unece.org/trans/doc/2002/ac7/TRANS-AC7-09e.pdf)

34

4. Evolution

of the operation

with the

involvement

of ITS

Intelligent Transport Systems involve a widerange of technological and organizational sys-tems, applications and services. The authors

know that it is not possible to give a full overviewof ITS. This chapter shall provide some highlightsof a few typical cases.

3.4.1 Roadside contribution to thesafety of transport: the role of ITS

ITS has a direct impact on road activity and conse-quently represent a tool for the improvement oftraffic efficiency and safety.Roadside equipment and related value-added serv-ices performed by road operators represent a sig-nificant contribution to a modern state-of-the-artway of operating roads. Figure 4 demonstrates the evolution of ITS opera-tion. In the past, road operators always performedthe surveillance of roads themselves; now they canhave remote monitoring and automatic incidentdetection-technologies that are making operatorsmore vigilant and faster to respond. Operators oftoll motorways can now perform electronic tollcollection using systems that automatically recog-nise each individual user, avoiding time- and en-ergy-consuming transactions.

Roadside ITS In summary, we can observe that at the process le-vel, by passing from the traditional approach to thetechnological approach the operator can achievean increased level of efficiency and gain an enhan-ced capability to act in terms of time and resourcemanagement. Roadside ITS is a tool that helps toscale down the processes that authorities and ope-rators handle in order to perform traditional servicesin a more efficient way. What’s new, is that ITS allowsthe operation of new services that were not pre-viously possible. In a way it can be said that whileoperators used to handle traffic in the past, they arenow increasingly handling individual cars and users.

Applying of these measures and services presentsthe opportunity to facilitate rapid response meas-ures, mainly when dangerous situations occursuddenly or when an irregular situation is knownin advance. Many accidents occur because thesystem (driver/vehicle) requires more time to

avoid collision. Several technological solutionsare the disposal of the driver or have been pro-posed for increasing the amount of reaction timethat a driver has to react to emergencies or roadaccidents. These include radio channels and datasystems, Variable Message Signs (VMS), blinkingroadside markers and, in the future, on-board di-rect messages. Such technologies aim to reducethe perception-reaction time of a driver, therebyincreasing safety time, the time available for theuser to safely drive the car.There are also other ITS technologies that allowfor better monitoring of traffic and weather condi-tions on motorways, faster response times to emer-gencies and easier communication between oper-ators of contiguous roads and networks.Below are some examples from the roadside tech-nology “family”.

Traffic Control CentreTraffic Control Centres (TCC) are the cornerstoneof road activity operations. Modern TCCs receiveand circulate multimedia information (data, radio,telephone and video signals) on the status ofroads and traffic. TCCs pave the way for the state-of-the-art operation of roads, collecting variousdata concerning meteorological and other envi-ronmental conditions (i.e. pollution inside roadtunnels). The efficiency of TCCs assures the cor-rect flow of information to and from differentstakeholders (traffic police, authorities, etc.)which in turn contributes to timely and appropri-ate decisions during the operational phase.Most TCCs are operated around the clock by one ormore agents. The TCC agents continuously monitorall technological facilities, such as the video images

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3.4 A short outlook on ITS

from traffic monitoring cameras located at criticalintersections and throughout road networks.Obstructions, accidents and other incidents aredetected by either the TCC agent, the technolog-ical systems operator or through reports fromtraffic police, the road operator’s agents or roadusers.In responding to real-time events and the resultingoverall scenario, the TCC agent can activate:• Contingency plans (activating all competent

authorities, measures and services for manag-ing traffic safety and handling accidents orother abnormal events).

• Traffic management plans (activating, in co-operation with the competent authorities atregional level, all measures necessary for man-aging traffic, minimising congestion and de-lays, and optimizing the use of the availableinfrastructure).

• Remedial plans (activating maintenance crewsto restore infrastructure and, if necessary,bring in contractors).

In some cases TCC agents have the option to di-rectly intervene at the scene of the event: i.e. bydelivering information to users through VMS, re-motely controlling traffic lights, changing the ven-tilation in tunnels or controlling other localisedequipment.

The main objectives of TCCs are to:• Collect all useful information and conse-

quently activate all pertinent internal and ex-ternal services.

• Provide accurate real-time traffic informationto the public, using a variety of different media.

• Utilise all available information to promotethe safety of traffic, ensure the safety of theroad operator’s agents on the road and quicklyperform the actions defined in the operator’smanual of procedures in order to minimise thecongestion caused by accidents, road worksand other events.

Traffic Information CentresTraffic Information Centres (TIC) are operationalcentres managed either by road authorities or roadoperators. TICs are charged with collecting real-time information and checking, validating, and dif-fusing it to the general public through all possiblemedia outlets (radio, TV, call centres, internet etc.).The collection and coordination of information isparticularly important because information can ar-rive from various sources (although usually fromroad police and road operators). The collectionand distribution process involves many differentpartners at regional or national level. The task fac-ing TICs also largely consists of managing and pro-


6

5. Examples of

Traffic Control

Centres

(Autostrada dei

Fiori and SATAP

- Italy)

6. Examples

of Traffic

Information

Centres

(DGT - Spain,

ASPI - Italy)

7. Video camera

for traffic

monitoring

with images

transmitted onto

TCC’s video wall

5

cessing the information and maintaining propercommunication contacts with all involved parties.Information is collected according to specific stan-dards and the centre’s multimedia products arecreated in real-time in order to be broadcasted viaradio, television or web-based platforms.

MonitoringIn order to continuously monitor motorway condi-tions, road operators install detectors capable of col-lecting information on the operation’s main pointsof interest: traffic, weather and environmental mon-itoring. The video monitoring system for road trafficis a network composed of remotely operated ClosedCircuit Television (CCTV) cameras. Using the videomonitoring system, the TCC agents have access tocontinuous video footage that allows them to monitorthe flow of traffic and to immediately check specificsections of the network when automatic alerts aregenerated from ITS, or when a warning is issued byagents on the road or users who have asked for help.

Benefits of video monitoring for traffic Video monitoring allows TCC agents to detect irregularcirculation or perform fast checks on the validity of areceived alarm or warning. Consequently, an agent caninitiate an early activation of the appropriate contin-gency plan and can issue early alerts to the operator’semergency staff as well as an early alert to the relatedemergency services. The overall reaction time of theprocess is made far faster by the use of video monito-ring, which is essential in the case of dangerous events.In this way, delays in intervention are reduced and safetyis improved while energy and transport efficiency ispromoted through the reduction of queues.

In order to achieve the best possible assessmentof traffic circulation, a TCC can also benefit froma numerical count given by traffic detection sys-tems made up of sensors. These sensors use vari-ous technologies inductive loops placed under theroad surface, radar sensors, “cooperative” vehicle-mounted units, etc.); and are designed to performthe real-time, precise monitoring of vehicles interms of traffic volumes and types of vehicle intransit. Data is collected, registered and computedby local units that transmit the information to theTCC. In doing so, the TCC is able to perform real-time traffic management according to current traf-fic volumes.Weather monitoring devices can either be standardhigh-accuracy sensors for gauging the mainweather conditions of interest (wind speed and di-rection, precipitation type and strength, etc.) orsensors specifically designed for the operation ofroads (such as sensors for estimating the currentcondition of road surfaces - dry, wet, icy, etc.).Monitoring performed with the various sensorsaids the smooth operation of road networksthrough the best possible use of roadside techno-logical equipment (local photometers are used forthe control of road lighting, air quality sensors areused for the control of tunnel ventilation equip-ment, etc.).

Variable Message SignsVariable Message Signs (VMS) are electronic trafficsigns that allow the TCC to distribute informationconcerning particular events in a timely fashion.Such signs can warn of traffic congestion, accidentsand incidents, roadworks or speed limits on a spe-cific highway segment. In urban areas, VMS are in-corporated into parking guidance and information

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systems to guide drivers to available car parkingspaces. Variable Message Signs allow the road op-erator to immediately reach users in transit on aspecific section of road, making it possible for ac-cidents that could occur as a result of any knownincidents to be prevented. Variable Message Signscan also advise users on the best route to take in agiven situation.

Automatic Incident DetectionAutomatic Incident Detection (AID) systems areused to detect vehicles that have come to a stop,vehicles that are slowing down or pedestrians thatare in locations that are off-limits. In general, anyanomaly present on the network can be quicklydetected so as to prevent or at least mitigate anypotential adverse effects. Automatic Incident De-tection systems constantly analyse road footagecaptured by cameras. The software is able to dis-cern whether or not an object is a vehicle, and isconsequently able to estimate its speed. When ve-hicles slow down, stop or when a “ghost driver”(somebody going the wrong way) appears on thefootage, an automatic alarm is generated for theattention of the TCC agent. The software can alsoidentify pedestrians that are in the wrong placeand debris lost from vehicles on the road surface.The system helps agents to properly monitor ahigher number of cameras. Technical problems inthe software or in the installation can cause thesystem to produce false alarms that can underminethe confidence that TCC agents have in the systemif they appear too frequently.

ITS in tunnelsA number of different ITS technologies can be de-ployed to improve the operation of road tunnels.At EU level, ITS is defined among the differentprovisions included in the Minimum Safety Re-

quirements for Tunnels in the Trans-EuropeanRoad Network that the European institutions de-fined in adopting directive 2004/54/EC. Accordingto the directive, tunnels longer than 500 m needspecific safety measures that have been identifiedin this common European approach. Several ITStechnologies are prescribed, under specific con-ditions, by the technical annexes of the directive(i.e. video cameras, VMS at gates, emergency tele-phones etc.). In the case of standard operations,tunnels are normally safer than other road sec-tions, but the confined environment can exacer-bate the consequences of a major accident (i.e.those involving fire, dangerous goods).

ITS in the event of tunnel accidentsThe physical phenomena resulting from major tunnelaccidents evolve very fast and can rapidly cause peo-ple great harm. The time-saving automation achieva-ble through ITS could be helpful, if not vital, in specificcases.

Radio ChannelsIn the field of radio communications in ITS thereare both radio channels that provide informationto road users and radio channels used for servicecommunications purposes.Information regarding traffic and traffic-relatedevents collected by TCCs can be provided to usersthrough radio channels, thanks to:• Specific agreements among road operators

and conventional radio broadcasters.• Information broadcasted by TICs.• Other service providers.The service is made possible - and maintains a rea-sonably consistent quality - through the deploymentof a number of pieces of equipment dispersed along


8. VMS for lane

management

(left - ring road

of Venice) and

for traffic

information

(right - near

Imperia)

9. Equipment for

the broadcasting

of isofrequency

traffic channel

and bulletins

from the

National Italian

Traffic

Information

Centre (CCISS)

10. Road

accident

8

motorways, all broadcasting at the same frequency(i.e. 103.3 MHz in Italy, 107.7 MHz in France, etc.).This roadside equipment allows users to benefitfrom traffic channels and keep up to date on trafficconditions and accidents without changing theirradio frequency along their journey.In order to implement this system, the networkneeds:• Numerous road-side installations (placed at

varying distances apart, depending on the layof the land).

• Fibre-optic signal distribution of the previouslymodulated signal to the broadcasting equip-ment.

• The use of leaking cables all along tunnels inorder to broadcast in confined spaces.

The information is distributed through voice anddata services. The Radio Data System (RDS) is acommunication protocol standard for embeddingsmall amounts of digital information in conventionalFM radio broadcasts. The Radio Broadcast DataSystem (RBDS) is the official name given to the U.S.version of RDS. The RDS system standardises sev-eral types of transmitted information, including time,station identification and programme information.The Traffic Message Channel (TMC) is digitally en-coded with traffic information using this system.This is also often available in automotive navigationsystems.

The TMC may be broadcast through either RDS orDigital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), but most com-monly (because of the large bandwidth) it is distrib-uted through Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB). The radio channel reserved for service communi-cation allows interaction between road agents andthe operational centres of all actors cooperatingon road operations (i.e. the road operator, trafficpolice, fire department, ambulance, etc.). For se-curity reasons, each actor normally caters for its

own independent radio channel and cross-commu-nication is provided by TCCs and other operationalcentres.

Roadside equipment for speed enforcementIntelligent Transport Systems are implemented toimprove overall levels of safety and efficiency. Inmost cases communication with the driver is themain aim of ITS applications or services, and some-times ITS is used to improve the effectiveness ofenforcement when traffic violations occur. Accord-ing to an estimate made by Italian traffic police(29),high-speed driving is either the main cause or oneof the leading factors in approximately 60% of allroad fatalities.

Traffic police officers all over the world use radaror other technological systems to measure drivers’speed, and if necessary enforce the law when speedlimits are exceeded. Nowadays, video cameras andother pieces of fixed equipment are increasinglyable to perform related functions in a semi-auto-mated way. For example, a system(30) that is ableto detect the average speed of vehicles travellingon monitored sections of road (sections in therange of 10-25 km in length) in any weather condi-tion has been implemented on Italian motorways. The system records the number plates of vehiclesin two consecutive locations at each end of a mon-itored stretch of road. The first piece of equipmentautomatically detects and registers the plate num-bers of all passing vehicles; the next piece of equip-ment, at the end of the monitored section, againlogs all vehicles that pass through its field of vision.The exchange of information between the two de-vices allows an immediate calculation, in real time,of the average speed maintained by the driver whilepassing through the allotted section. If the result

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(29) http://poliziadistato.it/articolo/51-Tutor

(30) The system was activated in 2005 on the Autostrade per l’Italia motorway network and is operated by the Italian traffic police. Users know thissystem as “Tutor”, a name alluding to the tutorial role of enforcement

39

9

10

is lower than the maximum speed limit for the sec-tion then the data is deleted. Otherwise the imagesare made available to the traffic police for enforce-ment procedures.The aim of roadside enforcement is not only topunish road traffic infringements, but also to helppersuade drivers maintain a constant speed whilsttravelling, making the flow of traffic more homo-geneous and therefore safer.According to data collected by traffic police andmotorway operators, it has been estimated that thepositive effects of ITS implementation have re-sulted in a 51% decrease in fatalities, a 27% reduc-tion in accidents resulting in casualties and an over-all fall of 19% in accidents of all kinds(31).

Re-routing of traffic in case of eventspreventing the standard operation of roadsTraffic re-routing eases the level of disruptioncaused by certain events on identified stretches ofroad (i.e. accidents, bad weather conditions) byproviding road users with information on alterna-tive routes. Re-routing brings about direct benefitssuch as reduced driving time but also results inlower operating costs and decreased environmentalimpact. More specifically, the level of benefits de-rived from re-routing depends on the length of thepossible alternative routes, on the capability of theroad operator to deliver relevant information tousers, and in the case of longer detours, on theflexibility of the traffic demand.

In addition, there are also non-quantifiable benefitsderivable from such a service. These include betteraccident information and better and more consistenttraveller information that in turn leads to the im-proved movement of traffic across a region. In termsof organisational cooperation, the benefits includeimproved working relations between the various au-thorities and traffic operators in the affected regions.The necessity of developing a solid knowledgebase of pre-defined strategies and an acceptableframework for the activation/de-activation of var-ious measures - based on the assessment of needsand resources - is another essential element forthe success of re-routing traffic. Considering thehigh number of co-operating authorities and op-erators, the wide range of events and the com-plexity of the subjects, specific traffic manage-ment plans are usually drafted in advance in orderto establish a predefined coordination plan of thenecessary actions that should be taken in theevent of an accident.

Contingency plans/emergency plansIntelligent Transport Systems are invaluable forthe organisation of available technical and non-technical resources. The same principle applies tomore than just traffic management plans. Contin-


(31) Data from www.autostrade.it/assistenza-al-traffico/tutor.html

40

13

11. Equipment

for speed

enforcement on

Italian

motorways

(ASPI)

12. Winter

maintenance

operation in

snow (SALT)

13. Application

of a traffic

management plan

(flow-chart)

14. Contingency

communication

process adopted

by Italian

authorities and

road operators

of ASTM/SIAS

group

15. Web-based

pre-trip

information

services, (top,

left: weather

information;

right: traffic

webcams)

11 12

gency plans coordinate the joint management ofthe different organizations(32) that shoulder the re-sponsibility of returning the situation back to nor-mal after a road accident or incident in the mini-mum amount of time, at the minimum possible costand with the minimum disruption to traffic. Thisrequires careful preparation and planning. The clearidentification of a chain of responsibility and com-munication strategies essential to the operationare key factors in the planning process.Intelligent Transport Systems technology needs tobe integrated into the process in order to makeconnections fast and reliable and facilitate directaction from TCCs.

Pre-trip traffic information systemsThe objective of pre-trip information is to make

drivers aware of the traffic situation and travelconditions so they can assess their travel options.Using this information a person can assess theirroute, mode of transport, departure time or evendecide on whether or not to make the journey. Advanced travel information systems can en-hance pre-trip travel information by providingmore detailed contents through different typesof media.Traditional pre-trip traffic information targets abroad audience, primarily through radio, whichmeans that the information is usually not suffi-ciently detailed to serve trip-planning purposes,except in the case of major events. Other systems (i.e. web-based platforms) provideusers with detailed data on traffic and meteoro-logical conditions and stream traffic webcams.

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(32) Services involved include road police, emergency medical services, fire brigade, etc.

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15

3.4.2 Passive, active and preventivesafety for vehicles: the role of on-board Information andCommunication Technologies

To understand our future, we must study the past.Below is a list of the major developments thathave shaped the evolution of motor vehicle safety:(a) Restraint systems (from around 1960-1975)(33):

this period saw the introduction of crashworthysystems and devices to prevent or reduce theseverity of injuries when a crash is imminentor actually happening (passive safety). The firstsystems were restraint systems such as safety-belts, and later air-bags, to limit the forwardmotion of an occupant, stretch to improve theoccupant's deceleration and prevent occupantsfrom being ejected from the vehicle.

(b) Bio-mechanical criteria (from around 1975-1990): in order to better protect occupants inthe event of impact, crash test dummies wereintroduced as tools to aid vehicle design. Theseare full-scale Anthropomorphic Test Devices(ATD) that simulate the dimensions, weightand articulation of the human body, and areusually equipped with instruments that recorddata about the dynamic behavior of the ATDin simulated vehicle impacts. Biomechanicalcriteria were identified in order to simulateinjuries using the dummies.

(c) Other protection (starting around 1995): vehi-cles started to be designed to take into accountthe protection of vulnerable road users (cy-clists, pedestrians). Moreover, crash compati-bility concepts were integrated into vehicledesign in order to reduce the tendency of somevehicles to inflict more damage on another ve-hicle (the “crash partner vehicle”) in two-carcrash scenarios such as crashes between SportUtility Vehicles (SUV) and city cars.

(d) Holistic approach (starting recently), incorporat-ing the need to consider additional factors con-cerning elements other than the vehicle itself:• Traffic infrastructure and control.• Citizen training.• Information provided to drivers

(through ITS and relevant technical standards).

• Checks on the use of alcohol and drugs.• The social cost of accidents.• Integrated transport systems, including

information and communication technologies, assisting driving.

Today’s vehicle design criteria have progressed past

simple measures such as safety belts, headrestsand air bags. Modern safety concepts include: (a) Active safety: provides the driver enhanced

control of the vehicle, thus decreasing the like-lihood of accidents. This kind of techniqueprovides the vehicle with a dynamic capabilityto adapt to extreme conditions (i.e. betterroad-holding, braking capacity, manoeuvrabil-ity on low grip surfaces, resistance to tilting,etc.). Two examples of active safety systemsare Electronic Stability Control (ESC) for pas-senger vehicles and Electronic Vehicle Stabil-ity Control (EVSC) for heavy-duty vehicles.The implementation of crash avoidance sys-tems may be the next big step.

(b) Passive safety (i.e. systems to enhance crash-worthiness): systems and devices to preventor reduce the severity of injuries when a crashis imminent or actually happening. Much re-search is carried out using anthropomorphiccrash test dummies. Most of these systems arerestraint systems (safety belts, air bags, pre-tensioners etc.), although crumple zones alsofall into this category. Crumple zones are struc-tural features designed to compact during anaccident to absorb energy from the impact.Typically, crumple zones are located in thefront part of the vehicle in order to absorb theimpact of a head-on collision, though they maybe found on other parts of the vehicle as well.

Other important safety aspects include attempts topromote concentration and comfort for drivers, andany other methods that support drivers and keepthem informed of running conditions and potentialhazards. Another emerging concept concerns thepossibility that drivers could provide emergency serv-ices with accurate and reliable information on thelocation and nature of accidents to enhance responsetimes. This function can be facilitated through capa-bilities that communicate between vehicles and sys-tems, as well as between vehicles and infrastructure,thanks to positioning devices based on satellite nav-igation technology.Safety devices or systems that are now widely usedin new car designs include:• ABS (Anti-lock Braking System).• ESC (Electronic Stability Control), EVSC

(Electronic Vehicle Stability Control).• DBC (Dynamic Brake Control).• TCS (Traction Control System).• EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution).• BAS (Brake Assist Systems).• AEBS (Automatic Emergency Braking Systems).There are other active safety systems that are less


(33) Technical standards relevant to structural design and motor vehicle equipment

42

16. Car accident

well known or still in the testing stage. These include: • Anti-collision systems such as Forward Colli-

sion Warning Systems (FCWS).• Systems that communicate the existence of

hazards and obstacles.• Lane Departure Warning Systems (LDWS).• Systems that detect the condition of the driver

or perform the automatic correction of drivingerrors.

It is indisputable that a significant number of roadaccidents involving casualties occur in poor visibility,normally at night or to a lesser extent in foggy con-ditions. Different types of sensors are - or can be -used to obtain information about objects in the vicin-ity of the vehicle. The most frequently used tech-nologies in the automotive industry that serve thispurpose are:• Ultrasound sensors.• Infrared sensors.• Radar.• LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging - an optical

remote-sensing technology that measures theproperties of scattered light to find range and/orother information about a distant target).

• Artificial vision.Every type of sensor operates in a different rangeof frequencies in the electro-magnetic spectrum(apart from ultra-sound sensors). Every sensorsupplies information on the space around a vehi-cle and a combination of different sensors andtechnologies might provide better results than us-ing each technology indipendently.To be widely deployed, these on-board devices - aswell as other ITS technologies - must be beneficialinvestments that meet user needs. For this reason,a concept that needs to be considered is Cost-Ben-efit Analysis (CBA/BCA) to provide an analysis ofthe return on investment for on-board safety sys-tems for the motory industry. Cost-Benefit Analysiscan define and quantify key financial metrics, suchas returns on investments and payback periods.For these analysis, the potential benefits in termsof cost avoidance in relation to crashes can bemeasured against the purchase installation and op-erational costs of the technology.Other industry stakeholders such as insurance com-panies, vendors and risk managers can equally ap-ply the calculations to their own internal assess-ments and programs.Public bodies can also perform their own CBA. Ifthe analysis shows that the assessed equipment ispotentially increases safety levels or results in anyother public benefits, legal instruments can be ac-tivated that overshoot the results of any sectoral

cost-benefit analyses.Cost-Benefit Analysis can define and quantify keyfinancial metrics such as returns on investmentsand payback periods. For these analyses, the po-tential benefits, in terms of cost avoidance in relationto crashes, can be measured against the purchase,installation and operational costs of the technology.Other than being used to estimate the average an-nual numbers of preventable crashes, crash datacan be the basis for estimating the costs of the dif-ferent types of crashes involving Property DamageOnly (PDO), injuries and/or fatalities.Primary data for calculating benefits and crash costscan be garnered from information provided by in-surance companies, motor carriers and legal experts.Crash costs include(34):• Labour costs.• Worker’s compensation costs.• Operational costs.• Property damage and auto-liability costs.• Environmental costs.• Legal costs.A measure of crash cost avoidance can be calcu-lated using the number of incidents that each tech-nology is estimated to prevent annually per VehicleMiles Travelled (VMT).

Some brief descriptions of certain ITS applicationsare listed below:

Digital tachographThe tachograph is a device that combines the func-tions of a clock and a speedometer. Fitted into a mo-tor vehicle, a tachograph records the time frame ofa vehicle’s use, i.e. the vehicle’s speed and whetherit is moving or stationary.European Economic Community (EEC) regulation3821/85 from 20 December 1985 made the tacho-graph mandatory throughout the EEC. A “Euro-

pean Agreement concerning the Work of Crews of

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(34) Technical brief of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (available from www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/research-technology/tech/09-

023-TB-Onboard-Safety-Systems-508.pdf)

43

16

Vehicles engaged in International Road Trans-

port” (AETR) was signed in Geneva on 1 July 1970.The current version was updated in 2006(35).European directive 22/2006/EC sets out new rulesfor regulating the hours of drivers engaged in thetransportation of goods and passengers. It providescommon methods for undertaking roadside checks,as well as checks at the premises of transport op-erators. Moreover, it promotes mechanisms of co-operation between member States authorities incharge of road transport enforcement. Regulation561/2006/EC of the European Union adopted on 11April 2007 specified driving and rest times for pro-fessional drivers. These time periods can bechecked by the employers, police and other au-thorities with the help of the tachograph.The digital tachograph is a new, advanced piece ofrecording equipment, consisting of a digital vehicleunit and a personal driver card. This new equip-ment has been designed in such a way that the dig-ital tachograph itself can be considered to be the“memory” of the vehicle in which it is fitted, whilstthe driver card can be considered the “memory” ofthe activities performed by the driver.The introduction - in all newly registered vehicles(trucks weighing more than 3.5 tonnes and busescapable of carrying more than nine people) - of thedigital tachograph has the sole aim of improvingthe comfort and working conditions of the driverand enhancing road safety through better enforce-

ment. This prevents any discrimination in transportacross the whole AETR region, thus representinga positive development for all Contracting Partiesand road transport companies. The use of the digital tachograph requires the im-plementation of sophisticated infrastructure, spe-cific interoperable databases and complex securitypolicies at national level. Well-developed commu-nication interfaces between AETR countries alsoneed to be established. These are necessary to al-low the efficient, harmonised and secure function-ing of the digital tachograph system.

Location-based informationLocation-based information services allow the driverto find the nearest business of a certain type, likethe next fuelling station, Automated Teller Machine,accommodation or restaurants available in the im-mediate vicinity. The driver might also have the op-tion of receiving certain types of location-based in-formation such as traffic updates, local points ofinterest or localised advertisements. To prevent thepotential misuse of the system, the secure authenti-cation and authorization of all incoming messages isneeded. Outgoing transmissions also require ade-quate protection to ensure the driver’s privacy.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) andElectronic Vehicle Stability Control (EVSC)Although various systems for vehicle stability con-trol are currently available from many differentcompanies, their functions and performances areall similar. These systems use a computer to controlthe braking of individual wheels to help the drivermaintain control of the vehicle during extreme ma-noeuvres. Using these systems, it is possible tokeep the vehicle headed in the direction in whichthe driver is steering even when the vehicle reachesthe limits of its road traction abilities. A stability control system maintains “yaw” (or head-ing) control by comparing the driver’s intendedheading with the vehicle’s actual response, and au-tomatically turning the vehicle if its response doesnot match the driver’s intention. However, with astability control system, turning is accomplishedby applying counter torques from the braking sys-tem rather than from steering input. Speed andsteering angle are used to determine the driver’sintended heading.The vehicle’s response is determined in terms oflateral acceleration and yaw rate by onboard sen-sors. If the vehicle is responding in a manner cor-responding to driver input, the yaw rate will be inbalance with the speed and lateral acceleration(38).


(35) The consolidated text, version 2006, document ECE/TRANS/SC.1/2006/2 is available on www.unece.org/trans/main/sc1/sc1aetr.html

(36) Images from www.unece.org/trans/doc/2006/sc1aetr/Pres3Kelly.pdf

(37) www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29/ECE-TRANS-WP29-2008-69e.doc

(38) Other information can be found from the work of UNECE Working Party on Brakes and Running Gear (GRRF) onwww.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29/ECE-TRANS-WP29-2008-69e.doc

44

17

17. Digital

Tachograph(36)

18. Stability

control

intervention for

understeer and

oversteer(37)

19. Concept

of warning

thresholds and

warning

threshold

placement

zones(39)

20. Example of

warning systems

for blind spot

detection(40)

Tachograph Card

Data encrypted on the chipset

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems(ADAS)Advanced Driver Assistance Systems represent awide range of systems designed to help the driver,making the driving process safer and more efficient.When designed with a safe Human-Machine Inter-face (HMI) they should improve car safety and roadsafety in general. Examples of such systems in-clude: adaptive cruise control; adaptive light con-trol; automatic parking; blind spot detection; colli-sion avoidance system (pre-crash system); driverdrowsiness detection; intelligent speed adaptationor intelligent speed advice; in-vehicle navigationsystems (typically GPS and TMC for providing up-to-date traffic information); lane change assistance;lane departure warning systems; night vision;pedestrian protection systems; traffic sign recog-nition etc.The first application from the above list is a systemused for the automatic control of speed. Using adistance gauge, either radar or laser, the vehicle isable to perceive the presence of another vehicleimmediately ahead of it in the same lane. If the other vehicle is moving at a slower rate, theon-board system aids deceleration, adapting to thespeed of the vehicle in front. This function is calledAdaptive Cruise Control (ACC).In the lateral control of the vehicle, sensor sys-

tems based on cameras may help the driver tostay in lane. An acoustic or tactile signal (i.e. vi-bration of the steering wheel) is generated whenthe system detects that the vehicle is about to di-vert from the lane. Research is also being con-ducted into systems that provide automatic steer-ing control (lane keeping). In any case, carmanufacturers are very cautious of this function,as it could be interpreted not as a support system,but as the actual automated driving of a vehicle,which in turn could produce unintended drivercarelessness.Other examples of driving support functions avail-able on the market or at an advanced stage of de-velopment are:• Night vision: infra-red cameras enable the

driver to have better perception in conditionsof low visibility, such as at night and in fog.

• Blind spot detection: rear-view mirrors are af-fected by the blind angle a side area the drivercannot see unless they turn their head. A cam-era and an electronic image processing unitcould serve as a vital warning system to alertdrivers to a vehicle overtaking them.

• Parking manoeuvre support: parking sensorsare already widespread on many vehicles. Fur-thermore, some vehicles have recently beenequipped with a function that detects the spacebetween two vehicles and - if sufficient - aidsmanoeuvring by guiding the steering wheel.

In ADAS, both warnings and controls play an im-portant role in safety enhancement. Effectivewarnings have the potential to compensate for

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(39) www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29grrf/ECE-TRANS-WP29-GRRF-S08-inf09e.ppt

(40) Image from www.unece.org/trans/doc/2007/wp29/ITS-15-05e.pdf

45

18

19

20

3.4.3 Cooperative technologiesThe idea of cooperative systems is to have vehiclesconnected via continuous wireless communicationwith the road infrastructure on motorways (andpossibly other roads), and to “exchange data andinformation relevant for the specific road segmentto increase overall road safety and enable cooper-ative traffic management”(43).The basic innovation of cooperative systems is thatintelligent transport tools, both in infrastructureand on vehicles, are active and “cooperate” in orderto perform a common service. Consequently, in co-operative systems, communication can be Vehicle

to Vehicle (V2V) or Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I). (a) Vehicle to Vehicle communication: can be de-

fined as the cooperative exchange of data be-tween vehicles through wireless technologyin a range that varies between a few meters toa few hundred meters, with the aim of improv-ing road safety, mobility, efficiency and im-proving the use of road capacity.

(b) Vehicle to Infrastructure communication: canbe defined as wireless cooperative interaction,between vehicles and infrastructure, based onsystems that can improve safety and perform-ance on roads.


(41) www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29/ITS-16-03e.pdf

(42) Image from http://w1.siemens.com/press/en/pp_cc/2007/02_feb/sosep200702_27_(mt_special_mobility)_1434304.htm

(43) www.coopers-ip.eu

46

driver limitations, helping to prevent road acci-dents. When dealing with humans, warnings andcontrol measures need to be carefully assessedin terms of frequency and priority. High-prioritywarning signals are communicated via human in-terface systems to promote awareness and timely,appropriate driver action in situations that presentpotential or immediate danger.There are typically three levels of warning prior-ity(41):1. Low-level: driver should take action within the

timeframe of 10 seconds to 2 minutes; may es-calate to a higher level if not acted upon.

2. Mid-level: requires action within the timeframeof 2 to 10 seconds; may escalate to high-levelwarning if not acted upon.

3. High-level: warning requires the driver to takeimmediate action within 2 seconds to avoid apotential crash.

These principles apply to “driver-in-the-loop” sys-tems that warn or provide drivers with support foravoiding crashes. This means that these principlesdo not apply to fully automated systems (i.e. ABS,ESC) or in-vehicle information and communicationsystems (i.e. navigation systems). They apply tosystems that require drivers to initiate one or moreof the following responses: • Immediate braking for crash evasion. • Immediate steering manoeuvre for crash eva-

sion. • Immediate termination of initiated action. • Seek awareness of situation and perform one

of the above responses. • Immediate decision to retake driver control. ADAS with high-priority warnings are: ForwardCollision Warning (FCW) systems, Lane DepartureWarning systems (LDW), Blind-Spot Warning(BSW) systems and back-up warning systems.

Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA)Another example of ADAS is Intelligent SpeedAdaptation (ISA), a system which uses informationand communication technology to provide speedlimit information on a vehicle’s dashboard. The typ-ical means of doing this is a through a digital roadmap; when the map is combined with current po-sition information from a GPS receiver, the ISAcan display the speed limit and a warning for thedriver. The same information can be linked to thevehicle’s engine management system to provide anintervening ISA (voluntary - may be overridden bydriver; mandatory - without the option to override).This kind of system could also be combined withtraffic sign recognition systems.

21

21. Example of

road sign

repetition on

vehicle

instrument panel

through visual

recognition of

the sign at the

edge of the

road(42)

22. VMS for

traffic control

and

communicating

information to

road users (A22

del Brennero)

23. On-board

instrument

panel, displaying

maximum

allowed speed,

alert messages

and information

relayed by

cooperative

systems

Vehicle to Infrastructure communication requiresthat vehicles are equipped with the technology nec-essary to transmit relevant data to the TCC of sur-rounding infrastructure where it is assessed andintegrated with other information and then sentback to the different vehicles in the nearby vicinityas useful and “more valuable” information.Taking this into consideration, it is evident that “in-telligent infrastructure” and the “intelligent vehicle”are preconditions for the development of coopera-tive systems. Intelligent infrastructure is mannedand equipped by technical and technological sys-tems and the overall measures adopted make itable to collect information, perform Infrastructureto Infrastructure (I2I) communication and deliveradvanced services to users.Cooperative systems are expected to make use ofstate-of-the-art communication facilities to allowthe driver access to all road and traffic information(i.e. information currently diffused through VMS)directly from the vehicle’s instrument panel.Some of the targets of cooperative systems, alongwith relevant examples, are as follows:(a) Comfort: cooperative systems improve pas-

senger comfort and the efficiency of traffic.Examples of this include: traffic informationsystems, delivery of weather forecasts and in-teractive communication such as access to in-ternet services.

(b) Safety: passenger safety is improved throughcooperative systems by enabling vehicles toreceive information transferred from the TCC(Infrastructure to Vehicle [I2V]) and exchangeit through V2V systems. The information canbe supplied directly to the driver or it can trig-ger an active on-board safety system. Exam-ples of this are: crossroad coordination, warn-ings for drivers breaching road regulations andinformation on road conditions. Some of theseapplications could call for direct V2V commu-nication due to the very local relevance of theinformation and the need to minimize delays.

(c) Efficiency: the use of cooperative systemscould help re-route traffic when events are dis-rupting traffic flow, optimizing the capacity ofthe road network and promoting efficiencynetwork. Cooperative systems also enableElectronic Toll Collection (ETC) systems,which prevent queuing at toll barriers.

(d) Capacity: cooperative systems promote thebetter use of road capacity by transmitting in-formation through V2V or V2I technology andensuring compliance with the minimum safetydistance between vehicles. Vehicle-to-Vehicle

applications have so far only been proposedand not tested in real conditions. It has yet tobe established whether or not they will be vi-able in the future, but at the moment they ap-pear to be promising. In order to operate inreal time, the delays detected must be minimaland the communication systems used must behighly reliable. In comparison, some V2I serv-ices already exist (i.e. ETC systems).

Some services can have an impact on multiple ob-jectives: for instance, ETC is a cooperative servicethat provides better comfort, better use of capacity,as well as enhanced safety (avoiding queues on tollplazas). ETC systems are the only cooperative sys-tems with bi-directional communication that haveso far reached an significant level of penetrationin several regional markets, with several million“On-Board Units”(44) (OBU) in circulation. ETC sys-tems make use of a V2I data exchange in order toperform toll collection transactions without vehi-cles having to stop.The most pressing issue in this field is the futureavailability of multipurpose on-board units for carsthat are able to integrate toll collection services

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(44) About 15 million On-Board Units in the European region (year 2008) - source ASECAP

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23

22

together with services for safety and user informa-tion in a single platform.Another example of V2I is the Yellow Signal Warn-ing System (YSWS). This system is aimed at reduc-ing accidents by helping drivers avoid hazardoussituations at crossroads controlled by traffic lights.The purpose of the system is to inform the driverwhen their vehicle is approaching a crossroadswith a speed in excess of the official limit. The sys-tem therefore contributes to the avoidance of traf-fic violations at crossroads and helps to mitigatethe effects of unavoidable collisions.

Automatic emergency call system Once an accident occurs, the timely transmissionof information related to the event to the appropri-ate services assumes vital importance. Thanks toGPS navigation devices and mobile communicationservices it is possible to install a specific electronicsafety system in cars that automatically contactsemergency services in the event of an accident.Information is transmitted to the TCC of the lo-calised infrastructure or to any other pertinent Pub-lic Safety Answering Point (PSAP), in order toarrange a speedy response from the necessary serv-ices (i.e. towing operators, traffic police, emergencymedical units, fire brigade). Even if the driver isunconscious, the system can use its on-board trans-mitters to inform rescue services of the vehicle’sexact whereabouts, reducing the overall reactiontime of the emergency services. In case of an emer-gency, the on-board automatic emergency call sys-tem can establish a voice connection directly to acall centre initiated either manually by vehicle oc-cupants or automatically via activation of in-vehiclesensors (i.e. synchronous with the activation of air-bags). At the same time, actual location, availableinformation on the event, or specific medical datawill be sent to the same PSAP operator receivingthe voice call.The in-vehicle unit needs to be suitably protectedand provided with an autonomous power supply.Examples of this service are already in placethrough private rescue stations and for specificgroups of users with particular requirements - forinstance, for the transportation of valuables. Tospread this service, all requisite standards willneed to be fully defined and several national agen-cies and operators will need to be committed tothe effort.Initiatives already exist in this direction (i.e. at EUlevel)(45). In particular, the confluence of all theemergency calls onto a single emergency numberhandling service (112 or 911) is being investigated

and technical and organizational solutions need tobe found in order to properly organise the service,integrating it into existing procedures. It is of crit-ical importance that all actors involved in the emer-gency response are immediately and simultane-ously activated (i.e. the medical services for thepertinent emergency, in additon to the operator incharge of the road section, the traffic police incharge of the area’s traffic management, etc.).

Electronic Toll Collection (ETC)Electronic Toll Collection, which allows the elec-tronic payment of toll fees on motorways or theimposition of specific road pricing in particular ur-ban areas, was one of the first cooperative ITSservices and today is considered a mature technol-ogy. This kind of technology cuts queues and delaysat toll stations and consequently avoids the pollu-tion that comes from “stop-and-go” traffic. ETCsystems take advantage of V2I communicationtechnologies to perform an electronic monetarytransaction between a vehicle/user that is passingthrough a toll station and the road operator or tollagency. Until now, this procedure most commonlyused Dedicated Short Range Communication(DSRC). More recently, GPS/GSM/DSRC technol-ogy was adopted in Germany.The roadside equipment checks all vehicles anddetects whether or not the cars that pass areequipped with on-board units. If vehicles are foundnot to be equipped with the necessary on-boardunit, then enforcement procedures are put into ac-tion (see point 4 below). Vehicles that have a validon-board unit are charged the appropriate amount(through the bank account of the contract owner)without the vehicle having to stop.Electronic Toll Collection systems require onboardunits and rely on four major components:(a) Automated vehicle identification: the process

of determining the identity of a vehicular entity


(45) See eCall initiative http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/index_en.htm

(46) www.asecap.com/english/documents/ASECAP_ENCHIFFRE_000.pdf

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24

24. Lanes

dedicated to

vehicles with

On-Board Units

for ETC on

Torino-Milan

Motorway

25. Penetration

of ETC

On-Board Units

in national

markets(46)

subject to the toll. The majority of current tollsystems detect and record the passage of ve-hicles through a limited number of toll gates.

(b) Automated vehicle classification: most toll fa-cilities charge different rates for differentclasses of vehicle, making it necessary to de-tect the class of vehicle passing through thetoll facility.

(c) Transaction processing: deals with maintainingcustomer accounts, processing toll transac-tions and customer payments to the right ac-counts and handling customer inquiries.

(d) Violation enforcement: useful in reducing thenumber of unpaid tolls - several methods, de-vices and patrol actions can be used to detertoll violators.

Electronic Toll Collection has several benefits:• Increased toll plaza capacity.• Reduction in waiting times.• Reduction in fuel consumption and pollutant

emissions by reducing or eliminating stop-and-go traffic.

• Reduction in toll collection costs and enhance-ment of audit control by centralizing user ac-counts.

• Possibility to implement congestion pricing bybreaking technical barriers: non-intrusive tollcollection requires much less infrastructure,automatic vehicle counting and classificationand automated accounting systems.

• Digital license plate recognition devices can ac-curately and efficiently identify toll violators.

Electronic Toll Collection also has its costs:• Installation and maintenance of V2I commu-

nication technologies, On-Board Units, vehicledetection and classification as well as enforce-ment technologies.

• Standardisation and technical interoperabilityof systems impose costs.

• Staff and resources devoted to enforcement.• Marketing and stakeholder involvement ef-

forts.Many countries operate ETC systems. While many

of them use similar technologies, few of them arecompatible at present. This leads to inefficienciesfor drivers who frequently travel on internationalitineraries.

Directive 2004/52/EC on ETCTo address such issues in Europe, the EuropeanCommission has already published a directive onETC, which emphasizes the need for the interope-rability of systems. Directive (2004/52/EC) proposesthe introduction of the European Electronic Toll Ser-vice (EETS) that makes it mandatory for fee collec-tion systems to use one or more of the followingtechnologies:

• Satellite positioning.• Mobile communications using GSM

and GPRS standards.• 5.8 GHz microwave technologies, or Dedicated

Short Range Communications (DSRC).Furthermore, such systems should be interoperableand based on open and public standards, available ona non-discriminatory basis to all system suppliers.

Fleet managementVehicles can be tracked from a TCC using GPS nav-igation devices together with communication fa-cilities and digital cartography. Traffic Control Cen-tre agents also have fast access to staff andresources that can be activated when it becomesnecessary to handle an event. The same applies tothe central control room of the traffic police andother emergency services. It’s not only the emer-gency services that need to monitor fleets. Fleetowners can also supervise their own vehicles. Inaddition to vehicle tracking, modern fleet manage-ment systems enable advanced functions such ascentrally managed routing and efficient dispatch,driver authentication, remote diagnosis while gath-ering details on current drivers’ status, mileage,fuel consumption or container status data.

Integration of Traffic Message Channel(TMC) into navigation devicesWhile mentioning V2I systems, particular attentionshould be given to the Traffic Message Channel(TMC). Through a digital radio channel, informa-tion related to traffic (concerning motorways andmain highways) and road conditions (such asqueues, accidents, fog and similar events) is con-tinuously broadcast. TMC information can be inte-grated with GPS navigation devices able to bothcapture the broadcast information and convey it

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3.4.4 ICT infrastructure and communication networks

Every ITS service depends on the availability of anInformation and Communication Technology (ICT)backbone and enabling systems that constitute thecore of ICT infrastructure, laying the foundation

for all services. For instance, no real-time videosystem can exist in the absence of suitable com-munications technology (i.e. fibre optics). Com-munication equipment underpins practically everyITS service. The success rate of implementing ITSis closely related to the availability of ICT infra-structure. The capability to deliver ITS servicesdoes not grow in a linear fashion with the aug-mentation of available technology. For most ITSservices a minimum critical mass is needed in or-der to perform a wide number of tasks. For ex-ample, real-time traffic monitoring is essential totraffic management services. This monitoring canbe performed by video cameras, although otherdevices are capable of performing this task. Thesame footage collected from these cameras can beused for other services - it can be published on theinternet for pre-trip information or can be used forautomatic incident detection.As we all know, the cost a service usually rises inproportion to its quality. The quality of a service canbe continuously upgraded but a minimum base levelneeds to be initially guaranteed in order to avoidgeneralised public mistrust towards the service.The cost of ICT infrastructure is relatively smallwhen compared to the cost of road infrastructureas a whole. This presents an opportunity for devel-oping countries that are currently building roads:when building new infrastructure they can opt di-rectly for state-of-the-art ICT equipment.Information systems are based on the exchange ofinformation between vehicles and roads, vehiclesand other vehicles, and vehicles and roads withpeople. ITS depend heavily on telecommunicationtechnologies and communications structures in or-der to provide useful services.Wireless communication technologies such as GSMand DSRC are used for extra-vehicular communi-


27

28

in a visual or acoustic manner. Once a destinationhas been established, the GPS navigation devicecan integrate TMC information and check whethersome critical roads are included in the route. Ifthis is the case, a warning can be delivered to thedriver and the GPS device can suggest a new routeavoiding the critical area. However, this applicationcan present problematic issues: a new route auto-matically computed or suggested by an independ-ent service provider could clash with differentrerouting strategies designated by competent au-thorities or road operators, creating an inefficienttraffic management scenario. 26

26. Traffic

Message Channel

27. Classification

of the

communication

process

28. Future

communication

systems

29. ITS in urban

transport(48)

Information Communications(large capacity)

VICS, ETC, car navigation, cameras, radar

Control Communications(high speed and high reliability)

ABS, steering ACC, electronicallycontrolled brakes

Gateway

Body Communications(low speed)

Window control, dashboard meters, key less entry

Source: Prepared by the Development: Bank of Japan from various materials.

(47) “ITS in urban transport: the challenges for the UNECE Transport Division”, Molnar, Alexopoulos (www.unece.org/trans/news/eurotransport2008-05.pdf)

(48) www.unece.org/trans/news/eurotransport2008-05.pdf

cations. For communications that link on-boardcomponents within a vehicle, cable harnesses areused. To minimize the number of wires, multiplexedcommunications are frequently employed. Thesenetworks types are classed as body, operation orinformation according to the purpose of the com-munications.

The requirements for each type are different andeach year in-vehicle communication becomes morecomplex. Regarding V2V communication, consor-tiums have already been established in Europe andthe United States, and now Japan is setting up itsown body to hasten the development of advanta-geous standards.

51

3.4.5 ITS in urban transport(47)

ITS applications can play an important role in trans-port, especially in more urban areas.In particular, they help in:(a) Improving traffic flow:• Signalised junction controls can improve traf-

fic flow and reduce air pollution.• Urban traffic management and control can en-

able police, local authorities and public trans-port operators to share information and helpdevelop a truly integrated and more efficienttransport system.

(b) Improving road safety:• Enforcement cameras deter speeding and dis-

courage traffic violations at traffic lights;• Intelligent traffic signals can increase the time

available for people crossing roads, where andwhen this is needed.

(c) Improving security and reducing crime:• Closed circuit television can deter crime and

improve response time to incidents;• Traffic information services can improve the

quality of information available to travellers.• VMS can provide information on current travel

conditions, the availability of parking spacesor real-time public transport information.

(d) Improving public transport:• Operators can improve their services by having

accurate information on the location andprogress of vehicles.

• Travellers can get up-to-date information fromthe appropriate websites.

(e) Improving freight efficiency:• Improved traffic flow and more accurate po-

sitioning information will result in faster andmore reliable movement of goods.

(f) Lessening environmental impact:• Reduced congestion, a more efficient trans-

port network together with better-informedtravellers and more sustainable transportchoices can help tackle climate change andreduce air pollution.

Receiving the right information at the right timeand in the right place is critical for successful urbanpublic transport, especially in a multimodal trans-port system. It is hard to imagine the existence offlexible and high-quality urban public transportwithout the deployment of ITS. The following usageof ITS in urban public transport is critical for im-proving standards:• Information prior to or during the journey on

urban public transport (WAP, SMS etc.).• Electronic displays showing the remaining

time before arrival should be installed in bus,train and tram stops and at stations.

• Electronic information desks for the retrievalof information on routes, ticket prices, timeta-bles, announcements on traffic conditions etc.

• On-board screens in urban public transportvehicles (vocally announcing stops, showingteletext and other information).

• Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs).• Electronic tickets, e-ticketing etc.• Security systems (security cameras etc.). • Electronic information signs such as illumi-

nated arrows, numbers, pictograms etc.• Other passenger information services (display-

ing vehicle location, walking distances be-tween stops, parking information etc.).

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Most of the considerations mentioned thusfar relate to the field of safety. It shouldalso be noted that security is a primary

concern in ITS. A matter of particular relevance isthe transport of dangerous goods, a case that goesbeyond companies’ private management effortssince it involves the safety of both traffic and thegeneral public.In the international context, the committee of ex-perts appointed by the United Nations SecretaryGeneral at the request of the Economic and SocialCouncil periodically draft the “Recommendations

on the Transport of Dangerous Goods”, which isto be applied to all modes of transport. These rec-ommendations are then incorporated into interna-tional regulations in compliance with the followingschemes: • European Agreement concerning the Interna-

tional Carriage of Dangerous Goods by InlandWaterway (ADN), for inland navigation trans-port.

• European Agreement concerning the Interna-tional Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road(ADR), for road transport.

• Regulations concerning the International Car-riage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID), forrailway transport.

• International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code(IMDG), managed by the International Mar-itime Organization (IMO), for sea transport.

• Annex 18 to the Chicago Convention of theInternational Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) or Annex A to resolutions 618 and 619of the International Air Transport Association(IATA), for air transport.

It should also be noted that through directive2008/68/EC, the regulations stipulated by the ADR,RID and ADN are mandatory for domestic trafficin EU countries and are also applicable to domestictraffic in many other countries (i.e. the UnitedStates, Canada, China, Australia, Japan etc.).It is evident that the overall actions of the UN inthe field of dangerous goods transport aim to pro-mote a high level of safety, creating an overall levelof common understanding and a common approachto the safety of drivers, road users and citizens liv-ing along roads and highways. This is fosteredthrough the following key elements:• Provisions for drivers (requirements for vehi-

cle crews, consignment procedures etc.).• Criteria of circulation (listing and coding dan-

gerous goods in a unified way, provisions re-lated to quantities etc.).

• Provisions for vehicles (packing and tankerprovisions, periodical overhauling and replace-ment of sub-standard tankers etc.).

We need to remember that the safety of road trans-port depends on continuous supervision by stake-holders and authorities of every single detail of theprocess - there can be no common safety standardif drivers do not adopt safety procedures or if au-thorities have a lax approach to enforcement or tothe monitoring of vehicles and tankers through theinspection of expired or invalid certification docu-ments or relevant vehicle parts. It should also behighlighted, particularly in relation to road trans-port, that the European Council has acknowledgedthe growth of ICT systems and places a high pre-mium on their operational utility.The arrival of ADR 2005 introduced the concept


3.5 Applications for the transport of dangerousgoods (safety and security)

30. Visual

identification

systems for

security in port

areas: reading

and automatic

processing of

container codes

(based on fibre-

optic technology,

RFID etc.)

31. Operational

checks and

inspection of

both goods and

vehicles in port

areas: examples

of X/gamma ray

systems used to

detect smuggled

materials,

explosives etc.

These systems

are also used for

customs

clearance

purposes

32. Fire on a

vehicle carrying

dangerous goods

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53

of security and protection for vehicles and goodswhile as also taking steps toward tackling acci-dents resulting from fraudulent acts. Besideshelping to ensure safe driving and people’s safety,it is the duty of the Dangerous Goods Safety Ad-viser (DGSA) to set up a plan that oversees thesafety and security of high-risk goods and setsout operational measures (i.e. drawing up theitinerary). Another milestone for safety is the ap-plicative provisions laid out by EU regulationson the digital tachograph for vehicles, which havebeen mandatory since May 2006.It also appears clear that the need to monitor thetransportation of dangerous goods is becomingan absolute priority because of issues connectedwith mobility and the safeguarding of the envi-ronment, but mainly because of the growingstature of international terrorism. The UnitedStates, which often anticipates the application ofprovisions that are currently subject to negotia-tions at international level, has already under-taken a series of unilateral measures.Finally we should mention the US Maritime Trans-portation Security Act and the Container Security

Initiative (CSI) which involves the preventive inspec-tion of containers before they leave for the UnitedStates. The CSI uses the following procedures: tech-nological means to inspect high-risk containers, in-troduction of protected containers that allow intel-ligent monitoring and sending alerts to harbourswarning of a ship’s arrival 24 hours in advance.

31

32

Whilst pursuing their own institu-tional activities, the UNECETransport Division and the otherbodies of the UNECE promoteITS through facilitating coordi-

nation activities and preparatory studies for legalinstruments aimed at the application and deploy-ment of ITS. The UNECE Transport Division was establishedafter the end of World War II in response to anurgent need for an overall coordinator and facil-itator of the international movement of peopleand cargo by road, rail and inland waterways, i.e.international transport. Nowadays, the Division’s main challenge is to lis-ten, understand and respond to new transport is-sues and in parallel continue its task of promotingthe implementation of existing conventions andagreements by all of its member countries.The UNECE’s strategy is to approach transport inan integrated way, concentrating not only on inno-vative new ways of doing things but also on waysto merge traditional, well-functioning legal instru-ments with new technology. Intelligent TransportSystems are part of this holistic vision for the trans-port system.Through cooperation with member Governments,other international organizations and non-govern-mental organizations, the UNECE Transport Divi-sion works to reduce the frequency and gravity ofroad accidents. To this end, it promotes the development of inter-nationally accepted legal instruments as well asrecommendations and resolutions.The Transport Division is composed of a numberof different sections and units that specialise invarious transport areas, including inland water-way transport, road transport, road traffic safety,vehicle regulations, rail transport, tunnel safety

and the transportation of dangerous goods andsensitive cargoes. Several groups deal with ITS-related matters.Recognising the importance of ITS, a focal pointhas been nominated.

A perspective vision: ITS - an area to be strengthened in the transportsectorIntelligent Transport Systems offer non-traditionalsolutions in an effective way. The UNECE’s main focuson ITS regulations has so far been overseen by theWorld Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regula-tions (WP.29). Technical specifications for AdvancedEmergency Braking Systems (AEBS) and Lane Depar-ture Warning Systems (LDWS) are just two examplesof standards imple-mented by WP.29.Significant improve-ments in vehicle-re-lated safety and thereduction of pollu-tion from traffic havebeen achieved atglobal level throughthe work of WP.29.However, greater im-provements in thesafety and environmental performance of vehiclesmay be achieved if ITS applications are streamlinedfurther into the output of WP.29. Motor vehicles are today - and most likely will be inthe future - much safer thanks to the use of ITS. Thetechnological upgrade of vehicles and related servicesfor drivers and road users is currently being explored,and a benchmarking process is being performed bythe ITS Informal Group operating inside WP.29.


33. The “Palais

des Nations”

in Geneva

34. Transport

on the UNECE

website

4. Outlook of UNECE action in the field of ITS and currentprovisions

4.1 The UNECE Transport Division’s approach to ITS

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The applications made available by ITS are alreadyhelping to enhance the performance of vehiclesthrough the use of technologies such as lane-keep-ing support systems, automatic braking systems,doze alert systems and rear lateral/lateral collisionavoidance systems. It is essential that infrastructuretakes a path of continuous development in order toarrive at the “intelligent road” stage, enabling thetransport system to deliver safer and more efficientsolutions for the mobility of people and goods.The traffic management of specific vehicles carry-ing dangerous goods, the tracing of vehicles them-selves and the possibility of rerouting them in thecase of an emergency or critical situation are allissues that the UNECE Working Party on the Trans-port of Dangerous Goods (WP.15) considers to beof paramount importance. Moreover, catering forrequirements related to the transport of dangerousgoods and their passage through specific locations(i.e. places with a high concentration of people) isbeneficial for road safety and gives additional ad-vantages in terms of security. Logistical and procedural issues relating to trans-port management are addressed by the WorkingParty on Intermodal Transport and Logistics(WP.24). The Working Party deals with the issuesand requirements of industries and transport poli-cymakers in areas such as pan-European networks;service standards for combined transport (Euro-pean Agreement on Important International Com-bined Transport Lines and Related Installations[AGTC]); efficient chain management and logistics

in intermodal transport; and interregional Euro-Asian land transport links.The Trans-European North-South Motorway (TEM)is one of the projects where UNECE is acting asthe executing agency. The TEM is a project throughwhich Governments and stakeholders decided tocooperate to promote a corridor for cross-borderroad traffic in Europe between the countries be-longing to Western, Eastern, Central and SouthEastern Europe.The project’s core aim is to give assistance in theintegration process of Europe’s transport infra-structure systems, thus promoting overall devel-opment in the region. This can be seen as a specialopportunity for establishing a system of high-ca-pacity roads that will ensure a high quality of serv-ice for traffic as a result of the application ofadopted standards, good practices and technology.Taking the development of TEM and the Trans-Eu-ropean Networks (TEN) into consideration, it is ofutmost importance to realise an overall traffic man-agement service that can be implemented with newoperating criteria and state-of-the-art technology.If we consider this programme in synergy withother programmes such as Trans-European Trans-port Networks (TEN-T) and the European Com-mission project “EasyWay”, we can envisage a newEurope-wide scenario; a new operating groundthrough which the demands of long-distance andinternational traffic can be satisfied alongside tech-nological development and/or upgrade. It wouldbe an important achievement and a winning stepto embrace the potential added value of ITS in thisnew vision and to foster commitment to the Ams-terdam declaration.In order to build bridges and create links betweentransport, health, environment and between thecountries of Europe - including Eastern Europe -the Caucasus, Central Asia and South East Europe,a decision has been made to strengthen the “Trans-

port, Health and Environment pan-European Pro-

gramme” (THE PEP). To this end, efforts are beingmade on the pan-European platform to bring coun-tries together to cooperate for efficient, healthyand environmentally friendly transport facilities.

34

In the framework of the vehicle regulations ac-tivities of the UNECE in Geneva, WP.29 is ad-ministering the following two agreements:

1. The 1958 Agreement concerning the adoptionof uniform technical prescriptions for wheeledvehicles, equipment and parts which can befitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles andthe conditions for reciprocal recognition ofapprovals granted on the basis of these pre-scriptions. The 1958 agreement includes the130 UN regulations annexed to the agreementas well as the complete status information ofthe agreement, listing the Contracting Parties(CP) applying the UNECE regulations(49).

2. The 1998 Agreement concerning the estab-lishment of the global technical regulationsfor wheeled vehicles, equipment and partswhich can be fitted and/or be used onwheeled vehicles.

The 1998 agreement includes the Global Registry,which is the repository of nine Global TechnicalRegulations (GTR), the compendium of candidatesfor participation in the harmonization or adoptionof global technical regulations as well as the com-plete status information of the agreement(50).The categories of wheeled vehicles establishedby UNECE regulations can be found in the fol-lowing acts:(a) The definitions of the different categories of

vehicles established within the 1958 Agree-ment can be found in the Consolidated Reso-lution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3)available in TRANS/WP.29/78/Rev.1 and itsamendments(51).

(b) The definitions of the different categories ofvehicles established within the 1998 Agree-ment can be found in Special Resolution No.1 (S.R.1) available in TRANS/WP.29/1045 andAmend.1(52).

A blue book on the activities, and how to joinWP.29, contains the guidelines and main fields ofoperation(53).The activities are structured as illustrated belowin figure 36.

Reports of sessions, references to working docu-ments and other resources are all available on theUNECE website. The following working parties are involved in ac-tivities relating to safety and matters that are po-tentially ITS-related: Working Party on Lightingand Light-Signalling (GRE), Working Party onBrakes and Running Gear (GRRF), Working Partyon Passive Safety (GRSP) and Working Party onGeneral Safety Provisions (GRSG). The subsidiary body of WP.29 responsible for up-dating the existing requirements with regard togeneral safety provisions is the Working Party onGeneral Safety Provisions (GRSG)(54). The sub-sidiary body of WP.29 responsible for updatingthe existing requirements with regard to PassiveSafety Provisions, is the Working Party on PassiveSafety (GRSP)(55). The subsidiary bodies of WP.29responsible for updating the existing requirementswith regard to Active Safety, are the Working Partyon Brakes and Running Gear (GRRF)(56) and theWorking Party on Lighting and Light-Signalling(GRE)(57).The following are the main legal instruments relat-ing to road traffic safety and road infrastructure:(a) Convention on Road Traffic of 1968 and Euro-

pean Agreement Supplementing the Conven-tion - 2006 consolidated versions.

(b) Convention on Road Signs and Signals of 1968,


(49) www.unece.org/trans/main/welcwp29.htm

(50) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29glob.html

(51) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29re3.html

(52) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29sr.html

(53) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gen/wp29pub.html - www.unece.org/trans/doc/2004/itc/itcrt/Overview.ppt#16

56

35. UN meeting

room, Geneva

36. UNECE

Working Parties

on vehicle

regulations

within WP.29

37. UN

conference

room, Geneva

4.2 Working Parties and groups of UNECE:generalities, activities and aims

35

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(54) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29grsg/grsgage.html

(55) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29grsp/grspage.html

(56) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29grrf/grrfage.html

(57) www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29wgs/wp29gre/greage.html

(58) www.unece.org/trans/roadsafe/wp1fdoc.html

(59) www.unece.org/trans/theme_its.html

57

European Agreement Supplementing the Con-vention and Protocol on Road Markings Addi-tional to the European Agreement - 2006 con-solidated versions.

(c) European Agreement on Main InternationalTraffic Arteries (AGR) of 15 November 1975.

Within the general mandate of the United Nations,the Working Party on Road Traffic Safety (WP.1)initiates and pursues actions aimed at reinforcingand improving road safety. More specifically, theWP.1 works for the elaboration and continous up-dating of the 1968 conventions on road trafficand on road signs and signals, as well as the Eu-ropean agreements supplementing them, in addi-tion to the unique set of road safety best practicescontained in the Consolidated Resolution on

Road Traffic (R.E.1) and the Consolidated Reso-lution on Road Signs and Signals (R.E.2(58)).The Working Party supervises the collection of datapublished by Governments concerning existing na-tional road traffic legislation and road traffic sta-tistics (accidents and casualties) from Europe andNorth America. According to the latest United Na-tions resolutions on road safety (United NationsGeneral Assembly resolutions 58/9 of 5 November2003 on the global road safety crisis, 58/289 of 11May 2004, 60/5 of 1 December 2005 and 62/244 of31 March 2008 on improving global road safety andthe most recent United Nations Road Safety Reso-lution 64/255 of 2 March 2010) WP.1 and the UNECEhave coordinated several road safety projects, suchas the latest UNDA project on “Improving Global

Road Safety: Setting Regional and National Road

Traffic Casualty Reduction Targets”. The objectiveof which is to assist Governments in low and mid-dle income countries to develop regional and na-tional road safety targets and to exchange experi-ences on good practices for achieving these targetsby 2015.In order to adapt the existing conventions and setsof rules to the dynamics of road safety, thematicad hoc working groups have been given specialmandate on specific issues, including ITS (such asthe creation of an expert group on VMS), as wellas the creation of joint working groups on mattersthat have an impact on road safety (i.e. joint workon road safety and infrastructure with the WorkingParty on Road Transport [SC.1]).

37

4.3 Activities performed by UNECE bodies in the field of ITS

The UNECE Transport Division aims to pro-mote the application of ITS in order toachieve its policy goals.

Intelligent Transport Systems were discussed andmade the object of specific legal instrumentsthanks to the work of several UNECE bodies(59),including: the World Forum for Harmonization ofVehicle Regulations (WP.29); the Working Partyon Road Safety (WP.1); the MultidisciplinaryGroup of Experts on Road Safety in Tunnels(AC.7); the Working Party on Inter-modal Trans-port and Logistics (WP.24); the Working Party onCustoms Questions affecting Transport (WP.30)and the Working Party on the Transport of Dan-

gerous Goods (WP.15). All these bodies have ex-pressed their wish that UNECE Transport Divi-sion, being their secretary, provides strategicguidance and administrative support to them withregard to ITS, focussing on the following four ar-eas:1. Mitigating traffic congestion.2. Improving road traffic safety.3. Reducing pollution and noise.4. Improving fuel efficiency.The following pages include some highlights ofITS-related actions that have already been imple-mented or are in progress within UNECE officialbodies. The list is not exhaustive.


4.3.1 Informal Group on ITS underWP.29 for in-vehicle ITS

As a result of efforts to equip motor vehicles withartificial intelligence and information systems,some advanced Intelligent Vehicle Systems (IVS)technologies were introduced into the automotivemarket. The acceleration of the widespread use ofthese technologies was considered desirable notonly because they contribute to the comfort andsafety of equipped vehicles, but they also contributeto enhanced safety for road traffic as a whole.It is possible that in-vehicle ITS technologies maybe rejected by the market before they become fullydeveloped if people are not aware of their abilityto enhance safety and their overall contribution toefficiency. It was therefore necessary to bring abouta common understanding of possible regulationsand certification procedures in stakeholder coun-tries. Rising expectations made WP.29 take the ini-tiative in building such a consensus.As a response, WP.29 established an ITS InformalGroup in June 2002, to began preparation for theInland Transport Committee (ITC) roundtablemeeting and deepen its understanding of in-vehicleITS issues. At the ITC roundtable of 18 February2004, WP.29 members and organizations recon-firmed the importance of discussing in-vehicle ITSissues in WP.29 and agreed to continue the activitiesof the ITS Informal Group.The ITS Informal Group assumed the role of a“strategic group”, which works to expand knowl-edge of new technologies designed to enhancesafety, including developing a common under-standing of these technologies. The InformalGroup also discusses now to handle these tech-nologies in the regulatory framework, if neces-sary, and reports the discussion results to theWP.29. The Informal Group aims to accelerate the de-velopment, deployment and use of intelligent in-tegrated safety systems that use Information andCommunication Technologies (ICT) in solutionsfor improving road safety, reducing the numberof accidents on Europe's roads and making roadtraffic both greener and smarter. The technologiesdiscussed by the WP.29/ITS Informal Group arein-vehicle ITS (on-board safety systems that uti-lize information received from direct sensingand/or telecommunications via road infrastruc-ture or other sources). The Informal Group has issued the following state-ment concerning on-board ITS:• It is important to emphasize that certain ITS

applications use advanced technologies to pro-vide in-vehicle support for reducing the num-ber of crashes and attendant injuries anddeaths. Other ITS applications provide in-ve-hicle information for purposes other than im-proved safety. Whatever the primary functionis, both types of ITS applications can have im-portant unintentional influences on safety(positive and negative).

In addition, since there are strong expectations forthe contributions of ITS to the enhancement of ve-hicle and traffic safety, it was determined that thefollowing understanding is also necessary:• Certain areas of systems are expected to be

discussed primarily for enhancing the safetyof vehicles. They include systems that use ad-vanced technologies for enhancing safety, andthat advise/warn, and/or assist the driver withthe purpose of vehicle functions and perform-ance in driving.

Looking at the function of in-vehicle ITS for safetyenhancement, the extent of the system’s assistanceto drivers’ control is an important issue to be de-liberated, including how far the “assist” can be ex-tended and how closely it is related to “substitu-tion”. This discussion can be based on certaincurrent in-vehicle ITS solutions.In-vehicle ITS technologies can be divided intothree categories: 1. Assistance by information presentation and

control under normal driving conditions.2. Assistance by warning under critical condi-

tions.3. Assistance by control under pre-crash condi-

tions.In June 2011, the World Forum (WP.29) adoptedguidelines on establishing requirements for high-pri-ority warning signals (ECE/TRANS8WP.29/2011/90).They were transmitted by the Informal Group on ITSand contain the Statement of Principles on the Designof High-Priority Warning Signals for Advanced DriverAssistance Systems (ADAS).

Intelligent Vehicle SystemsIn regard to vehicle construction, UNECE hasprovided strategic direction to improve safetyand reduce pollution created by vehicles at aglobal level through WP.29, which also tacklesthe issue of ITS implementation in transport. Sev-eral ITS technologies are currently in operation,such as the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) - oneof the first example of ITS to be used in motorvehicles - and the Electronic Stability Control(ESC) system. The Tyre Pressure Monitoring Sys-

38. Effect of

on-board ITS

on human

behaviour(61)

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(60) For instance, UNECE Regulation on Frontal collision (regulation No. 94) does not mandate the installation of air-bags for occupant protection butsets biomechanical injury criteria and limits (measured through test dummies) to be complied with during testing. Accordingly, the vehicle shallperform occupant protection allowing the manufacturer to devise the best design for achieving it

(61) www.unece.org/trans/doc/2009/wp29/ITS-17-02e.ppt

59

tem (TPMS) and Brake Assist Systems (BAS) aretwo of the most recent representative examplesintroduced by legal instruments under the respon-sibility of WP.29. The TPMS improves vehiclesafety, providing real-time tyre pressure monitor-ing while also helping to reduce CO2 emissions.The aim of the BAS is to improve brake efficiency- a development not only good for passengers,but for pedestrians too. In 2009, provisions re-garding TPMS were adopted and incorporatedinto regulations for passenger vehicles. The de-velopment of provisions for other vehicle-basedsystems such as Lane Departure Warning Systems(LDWS) and Brake Assist Systems (BAS) are inthe final stage and should be completed by2011/2012. In addition to systems that are con-fined to vehicles, there are a number of other sys-tems that interact between the road side/infra-structure and the vehicle.Safety regulations are based on performance re-quirements, not on specific technologies, to preventdesign restrictions(60). The future development ofroad safety will be improved by accident avoidancemuch more than by injury mitigation.The future appears promising for driver assistancesystems. Very soon it will be possible to send in-cremental map and information updates to in-ve-hicle systems. In conventional driving, the driverobserves their surroundings and the running con-dition of their vehicle, making judgments on ap-propriate actions and consequently directly oper-ating the steering wheel, pedal and brake.

The driving system illustrated in figure 6 may besupported by a separate “driving assistance system”designed to assist the driver’s recognition, deci-sion-making and control abilities by utilizing ad-vanced technologies. The concept of driving assistance, including assis-tance for control, should be separated from “com-plete substitution”, which means taking over of allof the driver’s functions and responsibilities. Vari-ous research institutes are currently engaged instudies on the form, extent, timing and other ap-propriate elements of possible driver assistance.While some types of driver assistance systems arealready in practical use on vehicles, as a wholethey are still in their developmental stage. This of-fers a timely opportunity for countries and thetransport sector in general to seek a deeper under-standing of the technologies available for driverassistance.

38

4.3.2 Informal working group ontelematics - Working Party on theTransport of Dangerous Goods(WP.15)

In order to promote the use of ITS, theRID/ADR/ADN Joint Meeting put in place an in-formal working group on telematics to considerwhat type of data can be provided by ICT systemsto enhance the safety and security of dangerousgoods transport and related facilities. In particu-lar, it will consider who might benefit from thedelivery of information and in what way. These parties may include consignors, transportoperators, emergency response teams, law enforce-ment officials or motorway regulators (see termsof reference ECE/TRANS/WP.15/AC.1/108/Add.3).Moreover, the group will analyse the costs/bene-fits of utilising ITS tools for the previously men-

tioned purposes and will consider what proce-dures/responsibilities might be necessary in themonitoring of the information received. A deci-sion also needs to be reached on how access todata should be controlled.In the UNECE framework of actions and refer-ences, attention was also paid to the EuropeanCommission’s action plan on the developmentof ITS, which should be pan-European. It couldbe an advantageous asset to have a shared viewon a consistent ITS system for all transportmodes. In this respect, it is interesting to note that theEuropean transmission protocol DATEX II -which defines the data transmission protocol be-tween traffic management and traffic informationcentres in Europe - has the potential to coverthese multimodal aspects and the consequent op-erations on roads.


(62) Most material is from “The VMS Unit: a proposal”, Arbaiza, Lucas(63) Papers produced in 2008 are available on http://www.unece.org/trans/roadsafe/wp12008.html

(64) ARTS, CENTRICO, CONNECT, CORVETTE, ITHACA, SERTI, STREETWISE, VIKING

60

39. Evolution

of road sign

harmonisation

in Europe

(1909-2009)

4.3.3 UNECE Road Safety Forum(WP.1) - Informal working group forharmonization of VMS pictograms(62)

Variable Message Signs (VMS) are one of the bet-ter known ITS devices. This kind of technologyis mainly, but not entirely, used for informationpurposes. In order to harmonize these types ofsigns, the UNECE launched a devoted workinggroup(63) within the institutional framework ofthe Working Party on Road Traffic Safety (WP.1).With the same objective regarding harmonizationsince the mid-1990s, the European CommissionDirectorate General for Transport and Energy’s(DG TREN) Multi-annual Indicative Programmes(MIP) for ITS implementation has developed anetwork of Euro-regional projects(64) dealing withmany ITS-related issues, including VMS. Perhapsan interesting trend that best demonstrates thiseffort in Europe can be seen in projects that in-corporate a range of areas; from applied science(framework programmes) through to scientificimplementation (Euro-regional projects). The project Substituting/Optimizing (variable)Message Signs for the Trans-European Road Net-work (SOMS/IN-SAFETY) operated in that man-ner between 2005 and 2007. Similarly, MIP-2MARE NOSTRUM VMS (2003-2006) adopted em-pirical procedures in order to solve the old prob-lems of sign innovation and standardisation. Theoutcome of both projects was the formation ofthe UNECE’s WP.1 Small Group on VMS, a groupmade up of functionaries from France, the Nether-lands, Spain (all personnel coming from Mare

Nostrum VMS) and Germany.This method of progress found its place withinthe EC EasyWay programme. Continuing with thevision of the Mare Nostrum VMS Long DistanceCorridor (2003-2006), EasyWay’s 4th EuropeanStudy (ES4 2007-2013) - coherently called MareNostrum - retains and expands on this approachfor dealing with the innovation and standardisa-tion of VMS. The ES-4 group complements thework carried out by other bodies such as the Eu-ropean Committee for Standardization (CEN) -which is focused on the harmonisation of techni-cal display parameters - or the work of the Con-ference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR).The Conference of European Directors of Roads’Framework for the Harmonised Implementationof VMS in Europe (FIVE), for example, recom-mends general design principles for VMS but doesnot analyze in detail the specific informative ele-ments that are missing on each of the road/trafficsituations that require harmonisation. The goal is to avoid scenarios where the Euro-pean driver may not be able to understand infor-mation concerning their safety, route diversionsand all the other potential improvements that canbe made to their journey, due to language prob-lems. A complete harmonisation of VMS will im-prove safety and increase the efficiency of theroad network, especially for long-distance trans-port. The identification and development of spe-cific informative elements (pictograms, alphanu-meric codes) and message structures that aretotally independent of local languages is also en-visaged.EasyWay ES-4 has already realised historic mile-stones through the delivery of important docu-ments (notably the so-called “Working Book” andthe ES-4 Guidelines, which deal specifically withup to 47 road/traffic situations and acknowledgealready-existing VMS types and specific road sit-uations).Back in the 1900s, danger warning signs were ba-sically the only immediately available resourcefor overcoming the sudden and pronouncedchanges to the road environment that came withthe advent of motor vehicles. It is easy to under-stand that on roads the difference between 16km/h (horse-drawn carriages) and 80 km/h (thatwas soon available to most motorcars) is enor-mous. Motorization made the road network intoa more dangerous place in just a few years androad signs were the most pragmatic and feasibleway of easing that problem. Motorized nations quickly had to identify road or

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(65) Performed mainly by the University of Valencia and by SINA in cooperation with the University of Roma 3(66) See http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp1/ECE-TRANS-WP1-2005-06r4e.pdf

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traffic situations that could be managed via roadsigns. In the 1970s, a technological revolutionnamed the “third telematic wave” brought an ad-ditional parameter into play: the enlargement ofVMS visualization devices. In two decades, de-vices progressed from fixed-post to fixed-variableand to mobile, in-car displays; from painted bulbsto LED surfaces; from restricted displays to fullmatrix. In fact, a new vision of road transportand traffic was developing in the 1980s - the keywords here are high-speed and real-time trafficinformation - while the catalogue of internationalroad signs still largely looked like it was fromthe 1950s. The lack of activity in road signs atglobal level correlated directly with the state ofinnovation at national level.In the early 1990s, new information technologiesmade it evident that road signs hadn’t been up-dated since the catalogue from the 1968 Conven-tion on Road Signs and Signals. Encouraged byindustrial dispositions and management needs,national road administrations (particularly in Eu-rope) were faster in generating and adopting newroad signs than UNECE’s WP.1 was in standard-izing them. The result was a lack of road signharmonisation within the new and expanding do-main of temporary, variable and real-time roadsigning.Modern signs (both roadside VMS and in-car dis-plays) may refer to practically all traffic circum-stances: visibility, congestion, re-routing, ghostdrivers, grip or capacity issues, speed control,polluted areas, black spots or sections, and soon. This gives way to tactical or strategic man-agement; the core signing functions - regulatory,warning of danger, or informative messages - cannow be displayed at any time according to road,traffic and enforcement parameters.Variable Message Signs have spread widely be-cause of their flexibility: they supply drivers withup-to-date information regarding road and travelconditions. A common use of VMS is to display aTactical Incident Message (TIM) - a specific mes-sage warning of a particular impending hazard.Variable Message Signs can also distribute moregeneral advice on good driving habits by trans-mitting safety campaign messages. Behaviouralstudies(65) helped WP.1 to focus on the essentialrequirements of messages and on the need tobroaden the scope of existing ones. In these studies, drivers were tested in order tofind out the effectiveness of alert messages andhow their use affected their behaviour as drivers.Variable Message Signs carrying repeated safety

messages were shown to have a positive impacton driver alertness in tests using eye-tracking de-vices. The response and concurrent influence on drivingperformances and journey re-planning have beenfactors of relevant consideration for experts andfor WP. 1.The real time information provided by VMS is initself considered to be vital in several scenarios.Traffic operators, mobility management teamsand police officers need VMS in order to transmitmessages to drivers in the quickest possible way.To be effective the message must be brief andconvey information that a driver can react to andput to use in a prompt and effective manner. Mes-sages can be generated by road operators from apre-existing library or customized for the situa-tion to not only inform drivers of delays, but alsobring general information (such as the availabilityof park and ride options) or to target and influ-ence driver behaviour and safety (i.e. safety beltreminders, speed limits).It has been proven that credibility and clarity areof utmost importance if VMS are to have an effecton driver behaviour. Incorrect or vague informa-tion could lead to risky behaviour, whereas mes-sages that instruct drivers on what action to take(‘prescriptive’ signs) are very effective and morelikely to cause drivers to change their behaviourthan messages that simply describe the situation.It has also been demonstrated that drivers re-spond strongly to the selection of words, theirsequence and format, and to the location andspacing of signs.A recent update of the Consolidated Resolutionon Road Signs and Signals (RE2)(66), which wasused to convey updated references in the ViennaConvention on Road Signs and Signals - set aninnovative definition on the use of pictogramsand on the main information provided by them.The update also set the general deployment rulesused to facilitate the harmonization of VMS in allUNECE regions. Particular emphasis was placedon fostering their use in international traffic cor-ridors.Because the aim is to facilitate the use of VMS inan effective way, in cross-border traffic manage-ment, it is recommended that only well-known,international abbreviations (i.e. ‘km’ for kilome-tre, ‘min’ for minute, etc.) should be used. In ad-dition, general, shared terms of reference shouldbe established to keep messages clear and effec-tive with the minimum number of words and sym-bols.


(67) www.unece.org/trans/main/sc1/sc1cmr.html

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4.3.4 Expert group for safety in road tunnels

The three major tunnel accidents that struck fourEuropean countries between 1999 and 2001 (MontBlanc, Tauern and St. Gotthard) served to remindinternational authorities of the need to find waysto prevent such incidents and mitigate their con-sequences. This target can be achieved through theprovision of safe design criteria for new tunnels,effective management and possible upgrade of tun-nels that are in service, and improved communica-tion of important information to tunnel users. Thelikelihood of fatalities can be greatly reducedthrough the efficient organization of operationaland emergency services (harmonized, safer andmore efficient emergency procedures, chiefly forcross-border operations) hiring more skilled per-sonnel, implementing more effective safety systemsand promoting better awareness among road usersof how to behave in emergency situations.UNECE reacted to this need by establishing a multi-disciplinary group of experts on road tunnel safetywith the official participation of the World RoadAssociation (PIARC). In December 2001 the grouppublished the “Recommendations of the Group of

Experts on Safety in Road Tunnels: Final Report”.This report includes recommendations on all as-pects related to road tunnel safety - users, opera-tion, infrastructure and vehicles. The report wasapproved by all member countries.The paper includes several proposals for ITS. Theseinclude: on-board video systems for load monitor-ing (see measure C.4.1); Variable Message Signs(see measure 3.09 and annex 1); traffic monitoring(see measures 3.04 and 3.11); radio communica-tions (see measure 3.04); traffic management (seemeasure 2.12); traffic management plans (see meas-ure 2.13); lane management (see measure 2.08);and the x-ray analysis of heavy goods vehicles andGPS tracking (see measure 1.04).In line with the goal to improving tunnel safety,the EC drafted a directive on the minimum safetyrequirements for tunnels in the Trans-EuropeanRoad Network (TERN). This legislative documentwas approved by the European Parliament andEuropean Council and entered into force in April2004. It was then transposed into the national leg-islation of EU countries (directive 2004/54/EC,11888/03, 29 April 2004). Recital No. 14 of directive2004/54/EC recalls the background work per-formed by the UNECE.

4.3.5 E-CMR

The UNECE Convention on the Contract for theInternational Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR)is a UN convention signed in Geneva on 19 May1956. It deals with various legal issues concerningcargo transportation (predominantly by lorries)on roads. Based on the CMR, the InternationalRoad Union (IRU) developed the currently usedstandard CMR waybill. In 2008, an e-CMR Proto-col(67) was agreed upon, which aims to ease inter-national road freight and further improve goodgovernance in road transport by allowing the useof electronic consignment notes.

This new Protocol is an Additional Protocol to theCMR. It sets out the legal framework and standardsfor using electronic means to record and store con-signment note data, making information transferfaster and more efficient in comparison to paper-based systems. Less paperwork means time savedand reduces margins for error.As well as saving time and money, transport oper-ators will benefit from streamlined procedures andsecure data exchange. In particular, the so-callede-CMR will reduce the room for errors in dealingwith identification and the authentication of sig-natures.Current practices, which still use paper, struggle

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with lengthy procedures and goods are often de-livered before the documents arrive. By implement-ing the e-CMR Protocol, the countries involvedhave ensured that their road transport is up tospeed with other transport modes that alreadymake use of the electronic consignment note orwill shortly do so.Some of the advantages of the e-CMR are efficiency,

real-time notification and freight invoicing on theday of delivery. The disadvantages include the pos-sibility that the consignee may not be in line withUNECE regulations and be connected to the digitalCMR, so an in-cabin paper CMR waybill will con-tinue to be required. It can therefore be said thatthe paper CMR waybill will remain common, atleast for the time being.

4.3.6 Rail transport

Improving rail infrastructureThe interoperability of telecommunications in rail-way operations is important for all countries in thepan-European region. It aims to improve rail infra-structure efficiency by ensuring that the rail sectorcontributes to sustainable transport in an environ-ment competitive with all other modes. Some ofthe necessary harmonization (interoperability) ef-forts that have taken place in the EU and EuropeanFree Trade Association (EFTA) countries arebriefly described below.The EU selected GSM-R as the transmission tech-nology defined in the EU directive on the interop-erability of high speed trains and other EU direc-tives for railways (including the European directiveon the interoperability of conventional lines). GSM-R uses GSM technology that has been adapted tospecialized requirements for harmonized railwayoperations, in particular for high-speed trains andcontainer trains. Within the EU and EFTA area,GSM-R is now being combined with the GeneralPacket Radio Service (GPRS) to form the basis ofan ITS tool that would give railways the means toimprove efficiency and offer new services providingthat the market, while opening to competition, canprogress in a workable manner. The European RailTraffic Management System (ERTMS) combines theEuropean Train Control System (ETCS) with GSM-R. ERTMS should eventually achieve interoperabil-ity across the EU rail network. At present, ERTMScompatible high-speed lines operate in Belgium,France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain andSwitzerland. In the area of intermodal transport,ERTMS has been successfully introduced on theborder-crossing trains of the four participating coun-tries (the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland andItaly) on the Rotterdam-Genoa corridor. The use ofmulti-current ERTMS locomotives that can crossnational borders has contributed significantly tothe quality of service along this corridor. There is a need to hasten interoperability in the rail

sector beyond the EU - i.e. in the wider Europe areaand Central Asia - in order to improve sustainability.However, there is a trade-off between speed andefficiency. The ITS tools adopted by the EU andEFTA countries are not interoperable in the Eco-nomic Commission for Europe (ECE) region as awhole. In other words, the ITS standards for railoperations in (Eastern Europe and Central Asia)are not necessarily compatible with ERTMS. Thefragmentation of technical standards increases thecost of business because potential economies ofscale in the manufacturing of rail vehicles and railoperations cannot be fully captured. Although, inprinciple, SC.2 could play an active role in theprocess of harmonization of ITS standards acrossthe ECE region, it has to be emphasized that thereare no resources available for this task at present.

Improving rail securityRecent research activity has demonstrated that ITScapabilities can be used to considerably enhance thesecurity of rail transport. This is significant given thelikelihood of terrorist attacks against “soft” targets,including railway infrastructure (stations, rollingstock, track and inter-modal terminals). In the areaof container transport, various reports have empha-sized that security tends to be uneven from one modeto the next. While security measures are usually well-developed and integrated in ports, hinterland con-nections (rail, road and inland waterways) on theouter edges of the supply chain are often less pro-tected against security breaches. In the area of pas-senger transport, railway stations and trains are notas well protected as airports and airplanes.Two interesting ITS applications in the rail sector in-clude the integrated security system for critical rail-way and energy infrastructure developed recentlyby Ferrovie Dello Stato in Italy, and the rail IT modelfor interdependent integration developed by the Alt-stom corporation. Both applications will be consid-ered by the recently established Task Force on RailSecurity and most likely recommended to the Gov-ernments of UNECE member States.


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Developing international intermodalnetworksGeographic Information System (GIS) technologyhas been used extensively for a number of years inthree projects supported by the UNECE: Trans-Eu-ropean Motorway (TEM) network, Trans-EuropeanRailways (TER) network and Euro-Asian TransportLinks (EATL). The TEM/TER and EATL networksare intermodal and include important inland andmaritime transport links. The great challenge for fur-ther UNECE work in this area is to collect accuratetraffic data to be analysed using GIS technology toimprove the understanding of intra-regional and in-ter-regional container transport flows. This type ofwork is policy-relevant and is included in the draftwork plan of the UNECE Expert Group on Euro-Asian Transport Links. Actual implementation is sub-ject to the availability of resources.

Improving accessibility for passengersin rail systemsThe Working Party on Rail Transport (SC.2) de-cided to address this topic as it is likely to be im-portant for the future of passenger transport byrail. Demographic projections show that the num-ber of people over the age of 65 is certain to in-crease rapidly in most countries of the ECE regionin the not too distant future. In parts of the ECEregion, this 65+ population will have a reasonablyhigh life expectancy and considerable disposableincome. If rail operators could accommodate forthe travel needs of the aged, demand for rail pas-senger services (including international services)would almost certainly rise. Intelligent TransportSystems applications are capable of efficiently ad-dressing many older passengers’ needs (user-friendly ticketing, appropriate signage, etc.).

4.3.7 Inland Water Transport

Inland navigation has also put ITS to good use.The latest information technology systems haveprovided a basis for the development of harmo-nized information services such as the so-calledRiver Information Services (RIS), which supporttraffic and transport management while also in-terfacing with other transport modes. The goal isto contribute to a safe and efficient transportprocess and to use the available waterways(rivers, canals, lakes) and their infrastructure totheir fullest potential. River Information Services are in operation in manycountries of the UNECE region, ranging from in-cipient systems to fully-fledged services and com-prehensive Vessel Traffic Services (VTS). Taking into account the variety of available tech-nological solutions (VHF radio, mobile data com-munication services, Global Navigation SatelliteSystems [GNSS], internet, etc.), the emphasis ofRIS is more toward services that facilitate infor-mation exchange between parties in inland navi-gation and less on technology-dependent solutions. River Information Services include a wide rangeof services, such as fairway information services,traffic information services, traffic management,calamity abatement reports, information for trans-port logistics and information for law enforce-ment(69). Given the international and intermodal aspectsof inland shipping, it is crucial to establish inter-nationally harmonized standards on the general

RIS framework and specific RIS tools, such asthe Inland Electronic Charts Display and Infor-mation System (Inland ECDIS), electronic shipreporting, electronic data transmission to skip-pers and inland Automatic Identification (AIS)systems. To the greatest possible extent, thesestandards are built in line with maritime naviga-tion standards developed by an internationalgroup of experts supported by countries and com-petent international organizations such as theUNECE and the River Commissions and Interna-tional Navigation Association (PIANC). In EUMember States, directive 2005/44/EC from 7 Sep-tember 2005 deals with harmonised RIS on inlandwaterways. The multi-annual action programmeon Navigation and Inland Waterway Action andDevelopment in Europe (NAIADES) includes animportant component on RIS implementation. The UNECE Working Party on Inland Water Trans-port (SC.3) has issued several resolutions on RIS-related issues, including the Recommendation onElectronic Chart Display and Information Systemfor Inland Navigation (resolution No. 48); Guide-lines and Recommendations for River InformationServices (resolution No. 57); Guidelines and Crite-ria for Vessel Traffic Services on Inland Waterways(resolution No. 58); International Standards for No-tices to Skippers and for Electronic Ship Reportingin Inland Navigation (resolution No. 60) and theInternational Standard for Tracking and Tracing onInland Waterways (resolution No. 63). Discussionrelated to RIS implementation regularly appearson the SC.3’s agenda.

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Concerning the benefits and costs of ITS,the Research and Innovative Technol-ogy Administration (RITA) of the UnitedStates has published a very large data-base of case studies(70) on the internet.

To be pragmatic, we can look at a key set of assets,generally deemed valid for ITS, but specificallydeemed valid for emerging economies (see also theaforementioned “ITS Technical Note For Developing

Countries(71)”, published by the World Bank). Here-inafter are some examples of benefits.

Asset 1. Fatalities and injuriesRoadside and on-board technologies will help driv-ers to detect and avoid potentially dangerous driv-ing situations. Other technologies will identify driv-ers impaired as a result of alcohol, drugs or fatigue,and address reckless driving. The role of ITS is im-portant for improving enforcement on roads andhighways. Intelligent Transport Systems are helpingto shift the safety focus from minimising the con-sequences of crashes (through the use of seat belts,head rests, impact absorbing front ends, etc.) tothe use of technology that makes crashes less se-vere and can prevent them altogether.

Asset 2. MobilityPeople need travel options to be convenient, reli-able and affordable. Mobility is of key importanceto people with special needs, including the elderly,the poor, people with disabilities and people wholive in remote areas. Better mobility improves qual-ity of life and boosts the ability of individuals andorganisations to contribute to the growth of theeconomy. Intelligent Transport Systems includemany methods for enhancing the mobility of peopleand freight in all transportation modes. For in-stance, travel information helps travellers avoidcongestion, promoting a better use of existing roadcapacity and subsequently improving traffic con-ditions. Traffic management (i.e. the more effective

timing of traffic signals) can help increase trafficefficiency. Demand management, (i.e. road and ac-cess pricing) can help relieve heavily congestedurban areas. Commercial vehicle managementhelps to improve security and efficiency, not onlyfor carriers but also for related public agencies.

Asset 3. EnvironmentIntelligent Transport Systems will help to reducethe wasted time and energy by optimising trips, re-ducing congestion, improving vehicle and driverperformance and fostering better the managementof the transportation system as a whole. The opti-misation of the transport system will result in en-ergy savings, lower pollution levels and reducedenvironmental impact.

Asset 4. Faster emergency response andincreased efficiency of road operatorsThe availability of new communication systemsand organisational means will enhance the abilitiesof road operators and the emergency services. In-telligent Transport Systems will be able to pinpointan accident, help determine the extent of injuriessustained, direct emergency vehicles to the acci-dent site more quickly and find the best route tohospitals, allowing the flow of traffic to return tonormal conditions more quickly.

5. Summary of benefits and challenges in the promotion of ITS5.1 Benefits

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Asset 5. Reducing travel uncertaintyThe transportation system will guide travellers inreal-time, helping them on a daily basis to avoidcongestion or react to accidents and other incidentssuch as strikes, seasonal peaks or adverse weatherconditions. Intelligent Transport Systems can helpto reduce travel uncertainty by smoothing trafficflow (and therefore reducing fluctuations in traveltimes). Intelligent Transport Systems can also pro-vide improved real-time and predictive informationthat allows travellers to plan trips in a more effec-tive way. In-vehicle navigation systems can incor-porate real-time traffic information to dynamicallyadjust driving routes, optimising trips based on thereceived information.

Asset 6. Increasing securityIntelligent Transport Systems provide technologythat permits users to address security concernsthrough the use of GPS (or other positioning tech-nology), wired and wireless communications andimproved sensors and information systems. Intel-ligent Transport Systems can monitor the contentsand locations of containers, monitor the cargo androutes taken by trucks, track the location and statusof public transport vehicles, and generally support,simplify, and increase the visibility of transport lo-gistics. This is an area in which increased securitycan facilitate efficiency and productivity by stan-dardising and integrating processes for managingthe transport of people and cargoes.

Asset 7. Increasing comfort for roadusersIntelligent Transport Systems also help travellers tohave more comfortable and efficient trips. For ex-ample, Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) systems haveadvantages for individual drivers as well as for theoverall road system. The immediate advantage to theindividual driver is that with ETC it is no longer nec-essary to stop at toll barriers - the toll can be paidwhile vehicles are still in motion. The indirect advan-tage is an overall decrease in delays at toll barriersfor all vehicles, even those that are not using ETCdevices. In this way overall pollution is reduced as aresult of reducing the level of stop-and-go traffic.

Asset 8. Public Private Partnership(PPP) and industrial developmentPrivate companies will team up with public agen-cies to provide products and services to consumers,Governments and other businesses. Governmentswill provide provisions and incentives to con-sumers that encourage the use of technologies thatunderpin a public benefit.In many cases, it is more economical for developingcountries to import technology from developedcountries than to develop the technology domesti-cally. However, there are some cases in which thedemand for IT-related equipment, including ITSequipment, can help foster new domestic industriesfor manufacturing this equipment. This works bestin developing countries that already have at leastsome base IT industry in place.In addition, ITS equipment and systems requiremaintenance and renovation throughout their lifecycle, some of which can often be provided by do-mestic resources. This can also help build the ITbase in developing countries. Plans for developingthese industries can be made during the introduc-tion of ITS.

Asset 9. A step towards co-modalityThe availability of efficient information and thepossibility of a smart road transport system allowsfor the promotion of a pro-active exchange of in-formation and services with other modes of trans-port, promoting an integration of the capabilitiesof the different modes.


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42. Queuing at

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The assets derived from ITS deployment aremore numerous and better defined than thepotential difficulties that could arise. How-

ever, the objectives of administrators and road traf-fic designers face variables such as human factorsand technological and cultural limits that couldhamper the effectiveness of ITS. Technical progressin road transport will produce positive effects aslong as stakeholders are aware of the possible back-lash. Below is a description of issues that couldarise with the deployment of ITS.

Issue 1. Interoperability is essentialFor historical reasons it’s actually quite difficultto move rail rolling stock across national borders:the lack of interoperability remains a major ob-stacle to rail network development. However,similar interoperability problems should not hin-der ITS deployment across Europe and beyond.This is an area where the UNECE could make amajor contribution. By focusing on effective in-teroperability, vehicles should be able to easilytravel across borders, despite the fact that infra-structures are managed locally. In this istance,technology can be an asset rather than a hin-drance, on the condition that their use and oper-ability is harmonized. For example consider elec-tronic road pricing or toll charges. If you neededa different device for each country visited youcould very well end up with no room left for thedriver in the car. By striving to achive full inter-operability between intelligent transport deviceswe avoid the risk of creating barriers to the seam-less flow of people and goods. This is a crucialobjective, not just for UNECE countries, but forthe world as whole.Many efforts were made by the EU and other or-ganizations to develop interoperable ITS. Theseefforts include directive 2004/52/CE on the Inter-operability of Electronic Fee Collection Systemsin Europe and the DATEX standard developedfor information exchange between traffic man-agement centres. Thanks to increasingly powerfultransport systems and new political and legalframeworks, physical barriers are collapsing rap-idly along with administrative barriers in certaingeographical and economical spheres. It is nec-essary to avoid the occurrence of new interoper-ability problems. The world of transport is cur-rently not free from problems relating tointeroperability. This is a field where the multi-

national nature of the UNECE could be usefulwhen combined with the actions already under-taken by the EC and national Governments. Gapsneed to be identified and the UNECE, throughits bodies and legal instruments, could be proac-tive when it comes to filling in the missing links.

Issue 2. Fraud and violations in theuse of ITSIf ITS require automated charging for a service (i.e.in the case of ETC) several events may prevent thecorrect functioning of this proceedure. These in-clude incidents brought about by the user or thosecaused by the simple malfunctioning of the system,or parts of it. Depending on the case, the incidentcan either be classified as an error in the properfunctioning of the system, or as fraud. Fraud resultsfrom any act that avoids the electronic collectionof due fees through means prohibited by the rulesor laws applicable to the road network concerned,and is considered an offence. Systems need to berendered fraud resistant through technical meansand legal instruments and provisions. A sufficientlevel of enforcement services should also be putin place. If a system is not sufficiently fraud resist-ant, cases of inappropriate use may rise, threaten-ing the system’s proper functioning. If an interna-tional level of interoperability is required, then ahigher level of cooperation is needed from differentGovernments. Enforcement proceedures againstthose who violate standard proceedures shouldalso be possible at an international level.

Issue 3. Possible penetration in consumer marketsBuilding a business case for ITS is not alwaysstraightforward as it is not an easy task to quantifypotential benefits. Benefits are known from previ-ous cases - some of them are summarized in thisreport - but the task of promoting ITS benefits be-comes even more difficult if the effectiveness ofan application is not only subject to policy makingand/or decisions from public bodies and road op-erators alone, but also to penetration into the con-sumer market (i.e. in the case of cooperative sys-tems or on-board systems that are not mandatory).

Issue 4. Regional differencesIntelligent Transport Systems are reasonably com-mon in developed countries but still rare on theroads of emerging economies. This represents an

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5.2 Challenges

unfavourable trend in relation to the smoothing ofregional differences in the development of an in-ternational transport system. The UNECE will playa role in trying to adress this imbalance.

Issue 5. Security and privacyNew ITS tools need to be mindful of privacy issuesand require a reasonable minimum level of securityin exchanges of data, transactions etc.

Issue 6. Human factorAlmost all deaths and injuries that result from roadtraffic accidents are preventable and in most casesare caused by the reckless conduct and impairedjudgment of the driver. If a person drives a vehicleat a speed appropriate for current road conditions,wears a safety-belt and uses properly-fitted childrestraints, the number of deaths and injuries re-sulting from road traffic accidents can be signifi-cantly reduced.The introduction of new technologies - and ulti-mately the deployment of ITS in road traffic - isaimed at reducing the human factor (when negative)and accordingly human error. One such human fac-tor is the “rubber-necking” phenomena, or whenpeople who are looking at an accident lose concen-tration and have an accident themselves. IntelligentTransport Systems can help in the avoidance of suchaccidents. The objective of the design rationales of vehiclesand roads has been to remove as many unpre-dictable factors as possible. Vehicles and roads aretherefore becoming highly predictable environ-ments in which a driver is unlikely to encounterany unexpected events without receiving prior no-tification. As a result, drivers are increasingly oper-ating on lower states of alert and can be unpreparedfor dealing with any unexpected situation or dis-traction that may arise. In any case, even the mostadvanced technological road environment cannotcompletely rule out unpredictable situations.It is clear that drivers introduce a certain “risk factor”to the road environment when they perceive a situa-tion to be “safe”. When vehicles or roads are made“safer”, drivers will travel more recklessly. They willaccept the same amount of risk but change theirdriving approach in reaction to the increased safetylevel brought about by the new technical and tech-nological environment. Technical progress has itslimits in coping with the risk factors that humanerror introduces.Moreover, technology is not harmonized in all trafficsituations. Users that drive recklessly in a pre-dictable environment because they feel assisted by

technology (such as on a high-tech motorway) mightbehave in the same way in a less predictable envi-ronment such as on residential streets where chil-dren may cross roads (D. Engwicht, “Intrigue anduncertainty”, p.6).

Issue 7. Technology factorThere are numerous research initiatives currentlyunderway aimed at determining how physical in-frastructure improvements with a limited intro-duction of new technology can also improvesafety. Crashes can be reduced through engineer-ing techniques that incorporate better geometricdesign, more durable road markings, roadsidesigns with higher visability and road surfaces withincreased skid resistance. One of the measuresto help prevent road crashes caused by driversunintentially departing from the inside and out-side lanes is the installation of rumble strips thatcreate noise and vibration when a driver driftsoff the road onto the hard shoulder. A study con-ducted by the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA) of the United States on the installationof rumble strips has demonstrated that rumblestrips reduced fixed-object crashes and crashesin the opposite direction, both of which are verysevere and likely to result in injuries or death.The Lane Departure Warning (LDW) systems thatare installed on most recent vehicles do not leadto any benefits on roads where the correspondingstrips are missing. Therefore, the bad mainte-nance of road strips (or the total lack of roadstrips) could be fatal for drivers who rely on thisnew device, which is ineffective in these cases.Similar concerns are linked to braking devices.ABS, AEBS, ESC or BAS can be more effective ifskid-resistant road surfaces are deployed ubiqui-tously. Other downsides are linked to the vehicle’senvironment, namely to those Intelligent VehicleSystems (IVS) that are aimed at protecting vehicleoccupants. The less occupants are informedabout the proper use of their vehicle’s systems,the more they might constitute a threat ratherthan a protective measure. The increasing numberof on-board warning signals will eventually clashwith drivers’ limited abilities to perceive and pri-oritise these warnings. The WP.29 Informal Groupon ITS conducted discussions on the correct stan-dardisation of key aspects of ITS that will allowthem to be effective while avoiding the stifling ofthe development process or creating obstaclesto innovation and technical development. So-called “out-of-position” drivers and passengers(those seated in an unconventional manner) are


also a major source of potential road injury sta-tistics. Frontal or lateral impact protection hasbeen optimized by the presence of airbags. How-ever, these pieces of equipment were tested anddeveloped on the basis of dummies in standard-ized positions. In order to receive the best per-formance from these protective devices the oc-cupants should be seated in an arrangementsimilar to that of the tested dummies. When, forinstance, a driver has their forearm across thecentre of the steering wheel or the passenger onthe driver’s side has their head or other bodyparts too close to the panel where the air-bag is

located, a serious injury, or even death, can resultfrom air-bag deployment. Consequently, there isa downside to the strategy of trying to improvesafety by making an environment totally pre-dictable. Whenever humans are involved, it is im-possible to deliver the promise of total pre-dictability. Administrators and politicians shouldtake this into account when conceptualising anddesigning the future road environment. A holisticstrategy on ITS deployment should therefore in-volve educational programs directed at acclima-tising road users to the vehicle and road environ-ment of the future.

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This section contains the index of some examples of best practices, that are available inthe CD ROM attached to this document. The editorial team believed that a sufficientnumber of best practices is able to give a practical view of ITS, thus providing a suitable

base from which the Road Map can grow. It was decided that the collection of best practicesshould not be limited to those that the editorial team could collect. This section has thereforebeen specifically opened up to the suggestions of different stakeholders (authorities, roadoperators, or industry) or from other operators and experts, which are now - after the publicconsultation - included in the CD ROM.

Index

1. Free flow toll collection in Santiago - Chile

2. Safety Tutor - Italy

3. Deployment of speed control systems in Spain - Spain

4. Dynamic speed control in the conurbation of Barcelona - Spain

5 Hot Lanes in Washington State - USA

6. Lynx Mobile Mapper - Italy

7. Dynamic Lane on the A22 - Italy

8. Dedication of the traffic management centre in Switzerland - Switzerland

9. Geoweb - Italy

10. Topcon-Divitech - Italy

11. Geolocation of service vehicles - France

12. Transportation of hazardous goods in the Alpine area - Germany

13. Intermodality and parking facilities for HGVS along the Brenner Motorway - Italy

14. Travel Time Deployment in Madrid - Spain

15. European Union GNSS projects - Europe

16. ERA GLONASS: emergency call system on the roads - Russia

17. Tunnel Safety and innovation through tunnel simulators - France

18. Sochi 2014: ITS for the Olympic city - Russia

19. ITS for Moscow - Russia

20. Trans-Siberian Railway in 7 days - Russia


Some examples and best practices

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ABS Anti-lock Braking SystemACC Adaptive Cruise Control ADAS Advanced Driver Assistance Systems ADN European Agreement concerning the

International Carriage of DangerousGoods by Inland Waterways

ADR European Agreement concerning theInternational Carriage of DangerousGoods by Road

AEB Automatic Emergency Braking SystemsAEI Automatic Equipment IdentificationAETR European Agreement concerning the

Work of Crews of Vehicles engaged inInternational Road Transport

AGR European Agreement on MainInternational Traffic Arteries

AGTC European Agreement on ImportantInternational Combined TransportLines and Related Installations

AID Automatic Incident Detection AIS Automatic Identification SystemsAPC Automatic Passenger CountersASECAP European Association of Tolled

Motorways, Bridges and TunnelsASTM Autostrada Torino-Milano SpAAVI Automatic Vehicle IdentificationAVLS Automatic Vehicle Locating SystemBAS Brake Assist SystemsBCA Benefit-Cost AnalysisCP Contracting Parties CALM Continuous Air interface for Long and

Medium distanceCCISS Centro Coordinamento Informazioni

sulla Sicurezza StradaleCCTV Closed Circuit TelevisionCEDR Conference of European Directors of

RoadsCEN European Committee for

StandardizationCMBS Collision-Mitigation Braking systems CMR Contract for the International Carriage

of Goods by RoadCSI Container Security InitiativeDAB Digital Audio BroadcastingDATEX Standard for information exchange

between traffic control centresDBC Dynamic Brake ControlDG Directorate GeneralDGSA Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser DG TREN EC Directorate General for Energy and

Transport

DOT Department of TransportationDSRC Dedicated Short Range

CommunicationsDVB Digital Video BroadcastingEasyWay European Program for ITS Deployment

on TERNEATL Euro-Asian Transport LinksEBD Electronic Brake DistributionEC European CommissionECA Economic Commission for AfricaECDIS Electronic Charts Display and

Information SystemECE Economic Commission for EuropeECLAC Economic Commission for Latin

America and the CaribbeanEDI Electronic Data InterchangeEEC European Economic CommunityEETS European Electronic Toll Service EFTA European Fair Trade AssociationERTMS EU Rail Traffic Management System ES European StudyESC Electronic Stability ControlESCAP Economic and Social Commission for

Asia and the PacificESCWA Economic and Social Commission for

Western AsiaETC Electronic Toll CollectionEU European Union EVSC Electronic Vehicle Stability Control FCW Forward Collision Warning FCWS Forward Collision Warning Systems GDP Gross Domestic ProductGHG Green House Gases GIS Geographic Information SystemGNSS Global Navigation Satellite SystemsGPRS General Packet Radio Service GPS Global Positioning SystemGRE Working Party on Lighting and Light-

Signalling GRPE Working Party on Pollution and Energy GRRF Working Party on Brakes and Running

Gear GRSG Working Party on General Safety

ProvisionsGRSP Working Party on Passive Safety GSM Global System for MobileGSM-R Global Positioning System-RailwayGTRS Global Technical RegulationsHMI Human-Machine InterfaceI2I Infrastructure to Infrastructure I2V Infrastructure to Vehicle

List of acronyms

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IATA International Air Transport AssociationICAO International Civil Aviation

OrganizationICT Information and Communication

Technologies IEA International Energy Agency IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics

Engineers IETF Internet Engineering Task ForceILO International Labour Organization IMDG International Maritime Dangerous GoodsIMO International Maritime OrganizationIRTAD International Road Traffic and Accident

DatabaseIRU International Road Union ISA Intelligent speed adaptation or

intelligent speed adviceISO International Organization for

StandardizationITF International Transport Forum ITS Intelligent Transport Systems IVS Intelligent Vehicle Systems LDW Lane Departure WarningLDWS Lane Departure Warning Systems LED Light Emitting DiodeLiDAR Light Detection And Ranging NAIADES Navigation and Inland Waterway

Action and Development in EuropeOBU On-Board UnitOECD Organisation for Economic Co-

operation and DevelopmentOECD/RTR OECD Road Transport and Intermodal

Linkages Research ProgrammeReports

OICA International Organization of MotorVehicle Manufacturers

PDO Property Damage OnlyPIANC Permanent International Association

of Navigation Congresses PIARC World Road AssociationPM Particulate mattersPPP Public Private PartnershipPSAP Public Safety Answering Point RBDS Radio Broadcast Data System RD&D Research, Development and

DeploymentRDS Radio Data SystemRE ResolutionRFID Radio Frequency IdentificationRID Regulations Concerning the International

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by RailRIS River Information Services

RITA Research and Innovative TechnologyAdministration

RSU Road-Side UnitSALT Società Autostrada Ligure ToscanaSC.1 Working Party on Road TransportSC.2 Working Party on Rail TransportSIAS Società Iniziative Autostradali e ServiziSINA Società Iniziative Nazionali

AutostradaliSMS Short Message ServiceTC Technical CommitteeTCC Traffic Control CentreTCCs Traffic Control Centres TCS Traction Control SystemTEM Trans-European North-South

Motorway TEN Trans-European NetworkTER Trans-European Railways TERN Trans-European Road NetworkTHE PEP Pan-European Programme on

Transport, Health and EnvironmentTIC Traffic Information Centres TIM Tactical Incident MessageTIR Customs Convention on the

International Transport of Goodsunder cover of TIR Carnets

TLC Telecommunications NetworksTMC Traffic Message Channel TVMs Ticket Vending Machines UN United NationsUNECE United Nations Economic Commission

for EuropeUNFCCC United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate ChangeUNRSC United Nations Global Road Safety

Collaboration V2I Vehicle to Infrastructure V2V Vehicle to Vehicle VHF Very High FrequencyVMS Variable Message SignsVMT Vehicle Miles TravelledVRS Variable Reluctance SensorVTS Vessel Traffic Service WAP Wireless Application ProtocolWAVE Wireless Access in Vehicular

EnvironmentsWG Working GroupWHO World Health OrganizationWIM Weigh in Motion WLAN Wireless Local Area NetworkWP Working PartyYSWS Yellow Signal Warning System

72 ITS for sustainable mobility

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[1] Ben-Akiva Moshe, Meersman Hilde, Van de Voorde Eddy, Recent Developments in Transport Model-ling: Lessons for the Freight Sector, Emerald, UK, 2008

[2] Benefit-Cost Analyses of Onboard Safety Systems, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, seehttp://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/research-technology/tech/09-023-TB-Onboard-Safety-Systems-508.pdf, 30 November 2009

[3] Carsten Oliver, Lai Frank, Chorlton Kahryn, Goodman Paul, Carslaw David, Hess Stephane, SpeedLimit Adherence and its effect on Road safety and Climate Change - Final Report, University of Leeds,October 2008 see http://cfit.independent.gov.uk/pubs/2008/isa/pdf/isa-report.pdf

[4] Consolidated resolution no. 94/7 on the use of new Information technology in the field of transport,in European conference of Ministers of Transport, Annecy, [CEMT/CM(94)19/FINAL], 26 - 27 May1994

[5] Dalla Chiara Bruno, La sicurezza nei sistemi di trasporto terrestri: il ruolo della telematica, in dossier “Si-curezza nel trasporto delle merci”, U&C - Unificazione e certificazione, n. 9, LIII, UNI, Milan, October2008, pp. 28-33

[6] EasyWay PROGRAMME, EasyWay Improving the European Road System, The EasyWay ITS Work Pro-gramme for the Multi Annual Indicative Programme 2007-2009: Improving Safety and Mobility by In-telligent Network Operation and Traveller Services on the European Road Network, submitted byChairs of the Euro Regions, version 10 July 2007

[7] Economic and Industrial Research Department - Development Bank of Japan, Intelligent TransportSystems (ITS): Current State and Future Prospects, Research Report n. 52, May 2005

[8] Eliasson Jonas, Lundberg Mattias (Vägverket), Road pricing in urban areas, Transek AB, 2003

[9] ESCAP, Report of the UNESCAP regional forum of freight forwarders, multimodal transport operatorsand logistics service providers, Bangkok, 22 June 2007

[10] European Commission, A sustainable future for transport - towards an integrated, technology-led and user-friendly systems, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2009, see http://ec.eu-ropa.eu/transport/publications/doc/2009_future_of_transport_en.pdf.

[11] Federtrasporto, Centro Studi, I sistemi telematici per i trasporti: basi tecnologiche, architetture ed applicazioniin Tecnologie e trasporto merci, Rapporto 2007, Federtrasporto, Roma, 2007, pp. 39-80, seehttp://www.federtrasporto.it/attachments/035_Rapporto-2007.pdf

[12] Gianotti Edoardo, Intelligent transport systems and their implementation in road transport, in “UNECEWeekly”, Issue 288, 29 September - 3 October 2008

[13] Gianotti Edoardo, The stakeholder viewpoint: opportunities, boundaries and needs of ITS, in 1st EuropeanConference on Intelligent Transport systems, Taormina, 14-16 October 2008

[14] ISO 15623, Transport information and control systems Forward vehicle collision warning systems Per-formance requirements and test procedures, I ed. 2002-10-01, Ref. n. ISO 15623:2002(E)

[15] ISO/TC 204, Intelligent transport systems - Systems architecture - Use of “Process Orientated Method-ology”, March 2009

References

73

[16] Maes Willy, The Technological Challenge for the Deployment of European Road Transport Policy:Galileo applications and the ITS Action Plan, in Lectio magistralis - University of Messina-SINA, 15October 2008

[17] Marasco Luciano (Ministry of Infrastructures and Transports), Dalla Chiara Bruno (Politecnico di Torino-Dipartimento DITIC-Trasporti), ITS E-learning, Ministry of Infrastructures and Transports, Italy, 2006,see http://www.trasporti.gov.it/page/NuovoSito/mop_all.php?p_id=00248, 30 November 2009

[18] McDonald Mike, Keller Hartmut, Klijnhout Job, Mauro Vito, Hall Richard, Spence Angela, HechtChristoph, Fakler Olivier, Intelligent Transport Systems in Europe: opportunities for future research,World Scientific Ed., London, UK, 2006, ISBN 981-270-082-X, 2006

[19] MEET, Ministerial Declaration on Global Environment and Energy in Transport, MEET Conference, Tokyo15 - 16 January 2009, see http://www.mlit.go.jp/kokusai/MEET/documents/Ministerial_Decla-ration.pdf

[20] Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications Stockholm, Sweden, Point programme forimproving road traffic safety, 1999

[21] Molnar Eva, Alexopoulos Constantinos, ITS in urban transport: the challenges for the UNECE TransportDivision, in “Eurotransport”, Issue 5, 2008, pp. 26-29

[22] Molnar Eva, Becoming wise about ITS, in “Intelligent Transport”, Issue 1, s.d., ISSN 1757-3440, pp. 20-21

[23] OECD, Delivering the Goods - 21st century challenges to urban goods transport, ISBN 9264102809, OECDPublications, Paris Cedex 16, 2003

[24] OCDE, Sécurité routière - L’impact des nouvelles tecnologies, ISBN 926410323-6, OECD Publications,Paris Cedex 16, 2003

[25] PIARC, Technical Committee C3.3 Road tunnel operation, Integrated approach to road tunnel safety,ISBN: 2-84060-195-8, Paris, 2007

[26] Resolution 2003/1 on assessment and decision making for integrated transport and environment policy,in European Conference of Ministers of Transport, Council of Ministers - Brussels 23 - 24 April 2003 -CEMT/CM(2003)4/FINAL, 7 May 2003

[27] UNECE, UNECE Transport Review - Road Safety, First edition - New York and Geneva, November 2008,see http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/UNECE-Transport-Review-1-2008.pdf.

[28] UNI CEI, Telematica per il traffico ed il trasporto su strada - Norma quadro - Prospetto generale delleapplicazioni, riferimenti ed indirizzi normativi, in UNI CEI 70031, Allegato alla UNI CEI 70031 NormaQuadro, Milan, July 1999; eng. transl. Telematics for traffic and road transport - Framework standard- General prospect of the applications, references and regulatory addresses, in UNI CEI 70031 andAnnex to UNI CEI 70031 Framework Standard, Milan, July 1999


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[29] United Nations, Economic and Social Council, Report of the Joint Meeting of the RID Committee ofexperts and the Working Party on the transport of dangerous goods - Geneva 11 - 21 September2007 - ECE/TRANS/WP.15/AC.1/108/Add.3, 24 October 2007, seehttp://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2007/wp15ac1/ECE-TRANS-WP15-AC1-108a3e.pdf

[30] United Nations, Economic Commission for Europe, 1998 AGREEMENT (GLOBAL) - Consideration ofnew draft global technical regulations - Draft global technical regulation on electronic stability controlsystems - Submitted by the Working Party on Brakes and Running Gear (GRRF), Economic Commissionfor Europe, Inland Transport Committee, World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations,Geneva, 24-27 June 2008, see http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29/ECE-TRANS-WP29-2008-69e.doc

[31] United Nations, Kyoto Protocol - Reference Manual - on accounting of emissions and assigned amount,UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, s.l. 2008, seehttp://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/08_unfccc_kp_ref_manual.pdf

[32] United Nations, Kyoto Protocol to The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in TheMinisterial Conference on Global Environment and Energy in Transport, Tokyo, Japan, December1997, s.l., 1998, see http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.pdf

[33] World Bank, ITS for Developing Countries - Technical Note 1, Toshiyuki Yokota, 22 July 2004, seehttp://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTTRANSPORT/214578-1097078718496/20281380/ITSpercent20Noteper cent201.pdf

From the web:[34] http://www.euro.who.int/violenceinjury/injuries/20030911_1, August 2009, 30.11.2009

[35] http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/index_en.htm, 30 November 2009

[36] http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=557, 30 No-vember 2009

From the UNECE website:[37] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2006/sc1aetr/Pres3Kelly.pdf

[38] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29/ECE-TRANS-WP29-2008-69e.doc

[39] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/wp29grrf/ECE-TRANS-WP29-GRRF-S08-inf09e.ppt

[40] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2007/wp29/ITS-15-05e.pdf

[41] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2009/wp29/ITS-17-02e.ppt

[42] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/2008/sc1/ECE-TRANS-SC1-103-pres02e.pdf

[43] http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/reviews/UNECE-Transport-Review-2.pdf

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Pictures

1 Millennium Development Goal No. 7 ................................................................................................................232 United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon............................................................................................273 Reference manual of the Kyoto Protocol ..........................................................................................................274 Evolution of the operation with the involvement of ITS ............................................................................355 Examples of Traffic Control Centres (Autostrada dei Fiori and SATAP - Italy) ......................................366 Examples of Traffic Information Centres (DGT - Spain, ASPI - Italy) ........................................................367 Video camera for traffic monitoring with images transmitted

onto TCC’s video wall ..............................................................................................................................................378 VMS for lane management (left - ring road of Venice) and for traffic

information (right - near Imperia) ......................................................................................................................389 Equipment for the broadcasting of isofrequency traffic channel and bulletins

from the National Italian Traffic Information Centre (CCISS) ....................................................................3910 Road accident ............................................................................................................................................................3911 Equipment for speed enforcement on Italian motorways (ASPI) ............................................................4012 Winter maintenance operation in snow (SALT)..............................................................................................4013 Application of a traffic management plan (flow-chart) ..............................................................................4014 Contingency communication process adopted by Italian authorities

and road operators of ASTM-SIAS group ........................................................................................................4115 Web-based pre-trip information services (Top, left: weather information;

Right: traffic webcams)............................................................................................................................................4116 Car accident ................................................................................................................................................................4317 Digital Tachograph ..................................................................................................................................................4418 Stability control interventions for understeer and oversteer....................................................................4519 Concept of warning thresholds and warning threshold placement zones..........................................4520 Example of warning systems for blind spot detection ................................................................................4521 Example of road sign repetition on vehicle instrument panel through visual recognition

of the sign at the edge of the road. ....................................................................................................................4622 VMS for traffic control and communicating information to road users (A22 del Brennero) ..........4723 On-board instrument panel, displaying maximum allowed speed,

alert messages and information relayed by cooperative systems ..........................................................4724 Lanes dedicated to vehicles with On-Board Units for ETC

on Torino-Milan Motorway ....................................................................................................................................4825 Penetration of ETC on-board units in national markets ..............................................................................4926 Traffic Message Channel ........................................................................................................................................5027 Classification of the communication process ................................................................................................5028 Future communication systems ..........................................................................................................................50


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29 ITS in urban transport..............................................................................................................................................5130 Visual identification systems for security in port areas: reading and automatic processing

of container codes (based on fibre-optic technology, RFID etc.) ............................................................5231 Operational checks and inspection of both goods and vehicles in port areas: examples

of X/gamma ray systems used to detect smuggled materials, explosives etc. These systems are also used for customs clearance purposes. ................................................................53

32 Fire on a vehicle carrying dangerous goods ..................................................................................................5333 The “Palais des Nations” in Geneva......................................................................................................................5434 Transport on the UNECE website ........................................................................................................................5535 UN meeting room, Geneva ....................................................................................................................................5636 UNECE Working Parties on vehicle regulations within WP.29 ..................................................................5637 UN conference room, Geneva ..............................................................................................................................57 38 Effect of on-board ITS on human behaviour ..................................................................................................5839 Evolution of road sign harmonisation in Europe (1909-2009)..................................................................6040 Digital CMR - an example ......................................................................................................................................6241 VMS for dynamic use of emergency lane (A22 del Brennero) ..................................................................6542 Queuing at toll gates can be reduced thanks to ETC systems ..................................................................66

Credits for imagesAutostrada del Brennero - ItalyAutostrada dei Fiori - ItalyAutostrade per l’Italia - ItalyAutovie Venete - ItalyCostanera Norte S.A. - ChileDevelopment Bank of Japan DGT - SpainMinistry of Infrastructures and Transports - CCISS - ItalyPolitecnico di Torino at AudiPolitecnico di Torino and Elsag Datamat - Finmeccanica GroupPolitecnico di Torino at CRF (Fiat Group)SALTSATAPSIEMENSSINAUNECE website (hyperlink mentioned in the text)UNECE

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Ministero delle Infrastrutturee dei Trasporti

United NationsEconomic Commission for Europe

Documents

UNECE’s role in the promotion of Intelligent …...23 Background document T he world’s citizens depend on safe, efficient and secure transport systems. Whether we travel by road,