Jon Masters ITS International Editor
Colossal is not too bold a word to describe the scale of ITS developments currently under way in Europe. The 1690 European Commission’s ITS Action Plan has six areas of focus, each of which expands out into numerous projects involving a lot of leg work by various committees, working groups or consultants. Add to that the supporting work and research efforts of the many parts of 374 Ertico (ITS Europe); plus each of the 27 1816 European Union member states is working on ‘transition’ of the EU’s ITS Directive into their own legislatures.
It’s an impressive undertaking backed by political intent. Emphasis has been placed on deployment in a bid to accelerate ITS out of research and into use; deadlines have been set by the EC for having the necessary standards or specifications in place for each ‘action area’ so that the private or public sectors can take over with the uptake. All will be good and Europe set for ‘sustainable, efficient and competitive mobility’ and a ‘truly integrated and user friendly transport system’ – in the words of EC vice president Siim Kallas.
But how much of the systems and technology mooted will get taken up and meaningfully deployed? Around the meeting tables (so I’m told) there is still unease about there being too much talk and not enough action – because perhaps, in a number of cases there is not enough impetus of emerging markets or demand for what is being developed.
Completion of the Scutum project late last year shows what can happen where there is a market or commercial drive (page 46). It is no coincidence that Scutum came to a close in prompt fashion. Politically it is important for Europe to have its own systems of satellite navigation and tracking, but it was identification of a commercial need and the resulting work of the private sector Scutum partners that were key to realising the outcomes.
Europe’s eCall (page 16), presents a different picture. Through the HeERO project, eCall has reached testing of systems and pan-European interoperability. Legislation mandating eCall equipped vehicles looks likely, but while the concept is undeniably merited on grounds of safety alone, who will provide the national services? Will there be enough in it for private suppliers and can governments afford it?
For the most part, the ITS efforts of the EC and its partners concern setting of harmonised standards and specifications across Europe, which is understandable for a union of 27 member states, but presents a major challenge. Resources are not a problem – around 90 applications have been recieved from individuals, companies and organisations for 24 seats on the commission’s ITS Advisory Group. Where these are directed needs focus on what’s most likely to yield results.
One report produced recently for the EC describes the importance of robust business cases for realisation of ITS deployment. A pan-European electronic toll service – EETS – sounds eminently sensible. It has a business model: EETS suppliers would provide a common charging and payment service on behalf of all European toll chargers; but a viable business case is yet to emerge.
Guaranteed access to universally provided travel and traffic data, an aim of ‘action area one’ of the ITS Action Plan, also appears just and sound in principle – a political imperative – but market forces are taking over.1691 Google and others are getting information out to more people at an astounding rate of progress (page 56).
Governmental efforts on travel information may be obsolete by the time the EC’s deadlines for deployment arrive.
This year is an important one for ITS protagonists in Europe; an70 Intertraffic show coincides with the 2012 6456 ITS World Congress in Vienna. Both shows will demonstrate that there is a vast amount of ITS deployment under way around Europe and great scope for further use of technology for improving transport networks. The markets will be self evident.
It’s an impressive undertaking backed by political intent. Emphasis has been placed on deployment in a bid to accelerate ITS out of research and into use; deadlines have been set by the EC for having the necessary standards or specifications in place for each ‘action area’ so that the private or public sectors can take over with the uptake. All will be good and Europe set for ‘sustainable, efficient and competitive mobility’ and a ‘truly integrated and user friendly transport system’ – in the words of EC vice president Siim Kallas.
But how much of the systems and technology mooted will get taken up and meaningfully deployed? Around the meeting tables (so I’m told) there is still unease about there being too much talk and not enough action – because perhaps, in a number of cases there is not enough impetus of emerging markets or demand for what is being developed.
Completion of the Scutum project late last year shows what can happen where there is a market or commercial drive (page 46). It is no coincidence that Scutum came to a close in prompt fashion. Politically it is important for Europe to have its own systems of satellite navigation and tracking, but it was identification of a commercial need and the resulting work of the private sector Scutum partners that were key to realising the outcomes.
Europe’s eCall (page 16), presents a different picture. Through the HeERO project, eCall has reached testing of systems and pan-European interoperability. Legislation mandating eCall equipped vehicles looks likely, but while the concept is undeniably merited on grounds of safety alone, who will provide the national services? Will there be enough in it for private suppliers and can governments afford it?
For the most part, the ITS efforts of the EC and its partners concern setting of harmonised standards and specifications across Europe, which is understandable for a union of 27 member states, but presents a major challenge. Resources are not a problem – around 90 applications have been recieved from individuals, companies and organisations for 24 seats on the commission’s ITS Advisory Group. Where these are directed needs focus on what’s most likely to yield results.
One report produced recently for the EC describes the importance of robust business cases for realisation of ITS deployment. A pan-European electronic toll service – EETS – sounds eminently sensible. It has a business model: EETS suppliers would provide a common charging and payment service on behalf of all European toll chargers; but a viable business case is yet to emerge.
Guaranteed access to universally provided travel and traffic data, an aim of ‘action area one’ of the ITS Action Plan, also appears just and sound in principle – a political imperative – but market forces are taking over.
Governmental efforts on travel information may be obsolete by the time the EC’s deadlines for deployment arrive.
This year is an important one for ITS protagonists in Europe; an
