Assocations news around the globe

ITS Finland

Helsinki ponders smart solutions

There will be no roadside parking in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, 15 years from now, predicts 7350 ITS Finland’s CEO Sampo Hietanen. “Instead, a self-driving car will pick you up within in ten minutes of your pressing a button on your smartphone. The car will continue its journey once you have reached your destination.”

By 2030, he continues, self-driving cars will account for the vast majority of the country's road transport. “People will have reclaimed the streets, with wide cycleways being common and trees growing in places that only a few years previously were occupied by cars hour after hour.

“Helsinki's concept of city boulevards is starting to sound really smart. But who will manage the system? You can't be fully content if it's Google.” Finland, he believes, has “only a couple of years to create a system that also allows local service providers to thrive. The opportunities are real. But, if we're not on our toes today, someone else will make the revolutionary step and we'll have to follow the leader.”

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ITS UK launches the first  young professionals group

288 ITS UK has launched a young professionals' interest group – a first for any national ITS association, believes general secretary Jennie Martin. It responds, she says, to a shortage of new recruits entering the ITS field, and the science, technology, engineering and mathematics sector generally.

A key role will be to give the industry “valuable intelligence” on best practice in recruiting, developing and retaining young people. Inaugural chair is Mara Makoni, of consultants Mouchel, who says: “We are conscious of the immense contribution that we young professionals can make to the ITS sector and the transport industry in general, bringing fresh perspectives and challenging existing mindsets.”

ITS Italia

Italy ponders public transport procurement

4155 TTS Italia has worked closely with the new Italian Transport Authority (ITA), which became operative at the start of 2014, to help define fresh criteria for the procurement of public transport services by regional and local authorities.

The new rules are designed to encourage more open entry to the sector, greater transparency in procurement, more efficiency in management and better service levels for passengers.

TTS Italia has been joined in its efforts by members including Roma Servizi per la Mobilità, the agency that coordinates public and private transport in the Italian capital; 5T, which played a pioneering role in developing a similar role in Turin; and the national rail operator Trenitalia.

All have stressed the key role of ITS in meeting the authority's central aim of promoting and protecting competition in the transport sector.

ITA started its operations with twin investigations into rail and local public transport provision. Its other responsibilities include tolled motorways and freight movement.

ITS Australia backs transport innovation centre

858 ITS Australia is collaborating with AutoCRC automotive R&D hub to support a bid for funding from the country's Department of Industry and Science for an Australian innovative transport cooperative research centre. This aims to put Australian organisations firmly among the global leaders in the ITS industry by enabling them to deliver new products for a data-driven world - for both internal use and export - that will achieve increased transport-sector productivity and reduce costs.

The initiative is aiming for extensive industry support and a wide-ranging scope for action. Established in 2005 under Australia's Cooperative Research Centre programme, AutoCRC specialises in low emission vehicle technology development.