Danish strategy for ITS

Transcription

1 Danish strategy for ITS THE NATIONAL ITS BOARD MARCH 2011

2 The National ITS Board Date: March 2011 Layout: Rethink Pipeline Photos: Graae, Armgaard & Bangsbo Photography, Movia, Thomas Kjeldsen, Pöyry Infra Traffic GmbH, MAN, BMW, Vejdirektoratet (The Danish Road Directorate) Graphics: CVIS-projektet ISBN printed version: ISBN e-publication: DANISH STRATEGY FOR ITS MARCH 2011

3 Contents 1 Introduction Background and objectives Focus of the strategy 4 2 Status and development trends The current status of ITS in Denmark Development trends for ITS Prospects for the use of ITS in Denmark 11 3 Vision 12 4 Vision for the future Focus areas 18 6 The national ITS Board s recommendation Investment in ITS should be increased and targeted where needed Target areas The next steps 35 3

4 1: Introduction 1.1 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The parties behind the political agreement on environmentally friendly transport of 29th January 2009 would like to promote technological initiatives to reduce congestion and encourage more environmentally friendly motoring and safer traffic conditions. The technological initiatives, also known as ITS initiatives, should also play a part in strengthening the relationship between public transport and private motoring. ITS is an acronym for Intelligent Transport Systems, and is generally defined as any IT based system used in vehicles and transport infrastructure which aims at facilitating mobility, traffic flow and road safety, at improving services for the travelling public and lastly helps promote more environmentally friendly transport. In the future ITS may become an important tool in the Danish transport policy. ITS will help bring about better use of existing infrastructure with reduced congestion and environmental impact and will therefore replace or postpone investments in infrastructure. ITS gives motorists and users of public transport a better overview of the transport network and supports the interaction between the public and private transport. Furthermore ITS can improve road safety and help make freight transport more efficient. Therefore ITS can be an important and economically effective complement to investments in infrastructure and other initiatives for developing the transport system. The objective of this national ITS strategy is to provide the basis for political decisions relating to ITS in Denmark, and to establish a common framework across sectors and the many stakeholders that want to be involved. The strategy details the prospects and opportunities for using ITS in the long term and sets out a vision for the area. The strategy is also action oriented with proposals for concrete, achievable initiatives, which can be implemented within the next few years. The strategy has been prepared by the national ITS Board which has been set up by the Danish government and has the involvement of the Danish Ministry for Transport, DTU Transport, Aalborg University, The Danish Transport Authority (Trafikstyrelsen), ITS Danmark, DI, the Danish Chamber of Commerce (Dansk Erhverv represented by DTL and the Danish Freight Forwarders Association (Danske Speditører)), FDM and the Danish Road Directorate (Vejdirektoratet). An opposing view from Aalborg University can be found on the following web site: FOCUS OF THE STRATEGY The strategy focuses on ITS in relation to road transport, i.e. cars, lorries and public transport on the roads. It also involves the interaction and integration with other forms of transport rail, sea and air traffic. This interaction is crucial for ensuring that optimum use is made of the transport system involving all forms of transport and that the transport system can therefore be experienced as an integrated system. Apart from systems and services that directly target motorists and users of public transport, the strategy suggests a number of strategic measures, which are critically important for the long term development of ITS - e.g. the organisation and division of responsibility in ITS, establishing the database, developing the necessary expertise, regulation etc. DANISH STRATEGY FOR ITS MARCH 2011

5 Denmark only has a limited degree of influence on the development of ITS in cars. The strategy analyses the anticipated development and suggests how we in Denmark can exert influence, prepare ourselves and make use of the great opportunities which vehicle technology is expected to bring in the long term. The design of the strategy is based on an overall vision of how ITS in the long term can be developed and help to improve the transport system. However, experience shows that it is very difficult to form a reliable picture more than a few years down the line of future technological developments and how all the various stakeholders will act. Therefore we cannot operate on a linear projection but on the basis of our best guess as to what a vision of the future might hold for the way in which ITS might be used in On this basis the strategy is set out in nine focus areas whose recommendations should be followed so that the vision can become reality. The strategy is the framework which will ensure that actions and initiatives in the short term form can the basis for appropriate development of ITS in Denmark in the long term. In connection with the work, a study of the business prospects in ITS has been carried out, and a workshop has been held where a large number of stakeholders have provided input. 5

6 2: Status and development trends Over the recent years a large number of ITS systems have been set up in Denmark, and yet more are in the pipeline. Many stakeholders are continuing to invest in ITS. Furthermore, the government has set aside 600 million DKK for the period for developing and operating new ITS systems. The bus fund, the traffic flow fund and cycling fund also offer opportunities for supporting ITS projects. Despite this, there is still large untapped potential in terms of using ITS for benefiting motorists, users of public transport and society. Existing and planned systems only cover a limited part of the transport network, and motorists and users of public transport only receive a very limited part of the service from which they could benefit. ITS is developing rapidly, and in the coming years there will therefore be even greater potential for using ITS which is for the benefit of society and motorists. Section 2.1 gives an overview of ITS in Denmark. Section 2.2 then predicts the development that can be expected in the coming years. Section 2.3 contains a short prognosis. 2.1 THE CURRENT STATUS OF ITS IN DENMARK Private transport On the national road network a large number of ITS systems have been planned and put in place. The purpose of these systems is to improve traffic flow, road safety and the environment. ITS systems provide information to motorists on travel times and traffic incidents, speed control, traffic queues and lane control. ITS is also used for major construction work. ITS systems require the collection of traffic data, the provision of camera surveillance and 24-hour surveillance of the systems. Various ways of using ITS are now being tried out. For example, trials are being planned for driving on the hard shoulder to increase motorway capacity at peak hours. Variable signs will show when the hard shoulder can be used for driving. Furthermore trials are being carried out to warn and prevent drivers from driving in the wrong direction. Thanks to government ITS funding, a number of ITS projects have already been approved and implemented: Expansion of ITS systems on the Helsingør motorway Intelligent traffic management on the Helsingør motorway Driving on the hard shoulder on the Hillerød motorway Intelligent management of traffic in the Aalborg area around the Limfjord tunnel Traffic management on the Amager motorway Feasibility studies for the setting up of a digital road network Feasibility project relating to GPS collection of real time traffic information Improved information at stations relating to rail, bus and metro services DANISH STRATEGY FOR ITS MARCH 2011

7 Bus departure times at Næstved bus station Motorists are now informed about queues via radio, navigation systems and other media. Detailed data is being collected on a continual basis on more than 200 km of motorway to provide, for example, traffic information. Trials are being carried out using GPS and Bluetooth methods to map congestion on the road network and to provide real time traffic information for motorists on queue lengths. Motorists need traffic information ideally from the entire area of the road network relevant to their journey up to their point of destination, including information about available parking spaces, so that they can spend less time looking for parking. A large number of municipalities and private parking areas have already set up parking guidance systems. Automatic traffic control (ATC), which monitors the speed of motorists, has been tested and will reduce the number of road accidents related to excessive speed. Dynamic signalling has been introduced on most national roads and municipal roads, so that the traffic flow can be improved on the basis of prevailing traffic conditions. However, there is still considerable potential for reducing the time motorists spend waiting by improving signalling on an ongoing basis. As regards cycling, Denmark was one of the first countries in the world to set up green waves for cyclists and to experiment with systems warning lorries turning right of cyclists that are going straight ahead. Public transport Many buses have been fitted with a bus computer with GPS to track the buses progress through the traffic. This makes it possible to provide passengers with real time information about the buses expected arrival time. Bus priority in large towns means that users of public transport are now travelling faster. A travel planner for public transport has been set up (Rejseplanen.dk) which enables users of public transport to plan their journey effectively, and a travel plan has recently been developed which makes it possible to plan journeys involving a combination of the car and public transport (bilrejseplanen.dk). The massive growth in the use of advanced mobile telephones makes it possible to provide services that can make it easier to access information about public transport using mobile phones. An 2.5 billion Euro signalling project has been launched to modernise signalling on the Danish railway network. Overall, the signalling project will provide a large number of significant benefits for the current system: Fewer delayed trains Consistent high levels of safety throughout Denmark Reduction of equipment and materials in and around the railways and tracks Possibility of higher speeds and therefore shorter journey times on certain routes Possibility of providing more trains per stretch of railway Savings in terms of operation and maintenance Possibility of crossing national borders without difficulty Services A number of services are being developed for motorists and users of public transport, including information about the actual traffic flow and road situation, and the web site collects some of this information. A number of web sites are promoting the use of car sharing. Mobile telephones can now be used in a number of places to pay for parking, and in Copenhagen, for example, tickets for public transport can be purchased using mobile telephones - so-called SMS tickets. The Travel Card (Rejsekort an electronic ticket system for public transport in Denmark) is now being introduced and is expected to be nationwide in You can pay electronically for driving over the Storebælt and Øresund bridges using a so-called BroBizz. The Bizz system is being extended so that it can be used for paying for a range of ferry and parking tickets. ITS in cars Driver support systems are being developed which can now be bought in top car models. These systems include radarbased braking systems, parking guidance systems, reversing sensors, lane change and blind spot warning systems, and a 7

8 large number of cars are equipped with GPS navigation systems which help navigate motorists through the traffic via the quickest route. Denmark has signed the European agreement on the implementation of emergency calls from cars (ecall) and a working group has been set up to plan the implementation. There are opportunities for reducing the number of people killed and injured on Danish roads by developing the use of ITS in cars. Trials have been carried out with intelligent speed adaptation, and an insurance com. pany offers discounts to customers who agree to installing a monitoring device which records data relating to the events of an accident. Freight transport Route planning tools and fleet management tools are used widely in freight transport. Use of roads is now paid using an electronic system, the so-called e-vignette, which applies to both Danish and foreign lorries. Danish lorries pay an annual fee while foreign lorries pay for the right to drive on the roads for a certain period. Data New methods for collecting traffic data are spreading rapidly. A pilot project is being carried out i.e. the Digital Road Network in part of Copenhagen. The Digital Road Network will contain a very detailed digital log of, for example, the road network, traffic data and signs etc. which can be used as a basis for ITS applications. If the pilot trial produces good results it may be extended to cover the whole country. The main institution responsible for traffic management and disseminating traffic information for road traffic is the Danish Road Directorate s Traffic Information Centre, T.I.C, but other organisations are also active in the area. Public transport also has a number of centres that respond to calls and disseminate traffic information. The Danish ITS Industry The Danish ITS industry is of modest proportions. Apart from a few smaller specialised companies, the industry consists mainly of companies that generate their main revenue in other business areas but which offer a small niche production in ITS. 2.2 DEVELOPMENT TRENDS FOR ITS Trends in ITS follow the rapid technological developments, particularly in IT and telecommunications and benefit from rapidly falling prices in the industry. Ongoing development means that many solutions that are not profitable or that cannot be used today, may be profitable and usable within a few years. Significant technological advances can be expected in the future but it is difficult to predict where this will happen and at what speed. Developments are expected to take place, for example, in the following areas: Services New technological opportunities open up new opportunities for applications that deliver services to motorists and users of public transport and those that use a combination of the car and public transport. Information systems can give motorists and users of public transport reliable information before, during and after their journey in order to avoid congestion and improving road safety and the environment. Systems will be better at giving motorists and users of public transport an overview of what the transport system can offer. The systems can be based on real time data. In the future the systems will be based on real time information for buses, trains, bicycles and cars, and provide information on spare capacity in buses, trains and car parks. This information can be combined with previous data to make it possible to predict how the situation will be like when motorists and users of public transport arrive at a given point, in order to provide the best possible advice on how to proceed with the journey. When using public transport, passengers will be able to access information to help them get from A to B, and this information will be based on available real time information. Therefore they would be able to retrieve a new journey plan straight onto their mobile telephone if they miss their bus due to a minor delay or if they are able to catch an earlier bus due to a delay on another route. In many ways travelling on public transport will be more pleasant as you do not need to worry about delays. Moreover, GPS on mobile telephones means that you will no DANISH STRATEGY FOR ITS MARCH 2011

9 2: Status and development trends Lorry with driver support system which automatically fixes the lorry s position in the lane longer need to keep track of what stop you have to get off at. Your mobile will simply give you a signal when you approach your stop. Even without a mobile telephone you will be able to find out what time your bus will arrive. Stations will provide real time information on the expected arrival time of the next bus/train. Furthermore there will be information on board buses and trains notifying you of expected arrival times at the next stations/stops and what your options are in terms of changing buses/trains based on expected departure times in real time. Additionally there will be improvements in the way in which bus, rail, ferry and flight services interact with each other. On important connections involving two different means of transport, the bus service will be aware of any delay affecting the other party and will therefore wait in the event of short delays. This means that rail passengers will not be seeing the tail end of the bus they should have been on just because the train has been subjected to a two-minute delay. Therefore this will mean that we will have a flexible and effective public transport system operating at transport interchanges. Payment systems are also undergoing massive change. Nowadays, payment is usually made by cash and debit card, but in the future we will see the widespread use of new forms of payment, including mobile phone payment, SMS tickets, BroBizz type payment, and the Travel Card etc. ITS in cars Car manufacturers are investing heavily in the development of driver assistance systems in cars, and this area is expected to become very important in the future. Cars are expected to be online in the future and will therefore, for example, have access to the very latest traffic information. Cars will have more advanced display screens, and there will be rapid developments in terms of the way vehicles interact with drivers. Speech recognition is expected to become a standard method of control for instruments and appliances. Small vibrations in pedals and seats will be used to alert drivers to the fact that they should be doing something - or are doing something wrong. Image projection on the windscreen will improve the driver s view of the road, which means that vulnerable road users, for example, will be more visible at night. Cars will be able to communicate with each other and exchange safetyrelated information within a few milliseconds. In the long term driver support systems are expected partly to replace signage and signposting along roads. Driver support systems are expected to reduce the number of road accidents significantly and reduce CO2 emissions. In the long term convoy driving will reduce CO2 emissions and help bring about better use of infrastructure. Freight transport In many respects, ITS will provide the same benefits for lorry freight as it does for cars, but ITS also offers several unique opportunities for freight transport. Various types of technology can track the freight en route, and customers can use their IT systems to access information about their shipments directly on their own computers at home. Route planners can work out the best route for vehicles to take. However these systems will be significantly improved provided a range of static and dynamic information is available online relating to, for example, curfews, vertical clearances, compulsory routes, traffic disturbances and particular incidents. A lot of this information is already in the public domain, but it is in a number of different systems. Freight transport will benefit greatly from the integration of this data as well as the integration of, for example, route planning systems so that shipments can be optimised. Ports, stations, road authorities, rail authorities and a large number of other organisations each have their own information systems and make data and information available. However, there is great potential in terms of linking up and integrating the many systems so that shipments can be improved in real time with resulting economic savings and benefits in terms of improving the environment and reducing congestion. 9

10 Travel card dispenser ITS might also be used in digital control devices which record the time lorry drivers spend driving and resting and which will eventually be available in all lorries (as analogue control devices are gradually phased out). Insofar as they are effective and profitable, future generations of digital control devices will interact with ITS and other systems such as e-call, navigation, fleet management and track and trace, digital customs reporting, traffic manage ment and payment systems etc. Data The new technologies will increase the available data for ITS dramatically, fundamentally changing the scope for communicating with motorists and users of public transport. Mobile devices (such as navigation systems and mobile telephones) are on the way to becoming data acquisition devices (that also show how fast you are travelling) and information devices. Cars will be able to inform drivers how fast they are driving on a particular road section but will also provide information on weather conditions. Collection, dissemination and anonymisation of traffic data has traditionally been a task for public authorities. However, in the future it is expected that the private sector will play a much more important role both with regard to the collection of data and with regard to the development of services for motorists. The August 2010 ITS directive stipulates a number of requirements for required data and traffic information forming the basis for a range of services for motorists. Therefore there are demands for accessibility, easy electronic data exchange and updating of road data and real time traffic data. There are also requirements defining a minimum of data for safety-related traffic information services, and safety-related traffic information should be made freely available to all users. Road Tolls There is a significant increase in the number of countries introducing mileagebased road toll charging for lorries. Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Slovakia have already introduced systems, while Poland and France are now in the process of introducing them. A similar system is being planned for Denmark. The EU is doing a great effort promoting technologies that can be used for mileage-based road tolls, for example, via the interoperability directive between electronic road tolls systems in the EU which is now about to be implemented with the development of a range of necessary standards and organisational frameworks. The EU Commission s decision regarding the specification of the European electronic road toll service (EETS) will ensure that lorries from 2012 and other cars from 2014 should only enter a contract with one service provider and only have one electronic device on board to handle all road toll systems in the EU. The EU expects that within a few years there will be a number of European providers of EETS - the road toll service which will make it significantly easier and cheaper to introduce national road toll systems and also make it much easier for road users to pay the toll from one country to the next. Harmonisation and standardisation The growing prevalence of ITS in the transport sector means that motorists will need information and guidance across national borders and it will be vital that motorists and users of public transport experience a cohesive system. This calls for harmonisation and standardisation across borders. Several EU projects have dealt with this problem, and the EU Commission has set the framework for this with the latest ITS directive as well as the directive on interoperability between electronic road toll systems. Standardisation in ITS is achieved through the work of the international standardisation organisations CEN, ETSI, 3GPP and ISO. The coming years are likely to see even greater focus on standardisation and harmonisation. The Danish ITS Industry The development of new products and services will also be promoted by collaboration between public authorities, research organisations and private companies in research, development and innovation. Furthermore the market will be stimulated by innovative procurement of ITS. Finally, business development will be supported by Danish industry and research participating more in international research and development projects. DANISH STRATEGY FOR ITS MARCH 2011

11 2: Status and development trends Public investment in ITS in Denmark is expected to be around million DKK per year in the coming years. This will not in itself lead to a dramatic transformation in the fortunes of the ITS industry. However, used strategically, such investment can be a catalyst for developing an internationally competitive ITS industry in Denmark in specific areas. The global market for ITS in 2015 is expected to be around 100 billion kroner. A study carried out for the national ITS Board indicates that Danish companies in particular will be able to make an impact in software development and wireless and mobile technologies. 2.3 PROSPECTS FOR THE USE OF ITS IN DENMARK As is clear from the above, a large number of ITS systems are already in place in Denmark. However, the systems only cover a small part of the transport system and only provide a limited part of the service, control and management of traffic from which motorists and users of public transport could benefit. For example, the database used for traffic information and traffic management now covers only a very limited portion of the road network. as outlined in the above, offer the prospect of completely new ways of using ITS to solve traffic-related challenges - creating favourable conditions for economic growth and development that will benefit society. Widespread use of ITS will reduce the need to invest in infrastructure and equipment, the transport system will become significantly more efficient, and services for motorists and users of public transport will be fundamentally improved. Ongoing work in ITS in Denmark will provide a basis for this improvement, but the basis is inadequate in a number of areas. From a European perspective the use of ITS in Denmark is relatively limited. A comparison of investment in ITS in a number of European countries from shows that Denmark is lagging behind countries with which we normally compare ourselves. Therefore there is a need for a focused and concerted effort in the coming years to ensure that the positive effects of ITS are realised. In the following sections the ITS strategy sets out the key elements in this work. The ever increasing traffic problems on the roads and the rapid development in ITS, Ramp meetering regulates the traffic onto the motorway to improve traffic flow on the motorway. 11

12 3: Vision Three examples of ITS from the EU research project CVIS In this example a vehicle in front warns the vehicle behind about a rock fall. ITS can be regarded as one of many tools used in transport policy. The vision is that ITS can help achieve transport policy goals in a way that is economically effective better use of existing infrastructure and equipment, improving traffic flow, developing a cohesive and effective transport system where transport is as cheap and fast as possible, and ongoing reduction of environmental and safetyrelated problems affecting communities. ITS can therefore be seen in an economic perspective. By helping to bring about a more effective transport system, ITS will help to improve productivity and competitiveness both for transport and for other industries. Finally, increased use of ITS in Denmark and resulting increased demand for products and services can offer new market opportunities for Danish producers and suppliers. Against this background, the following vision for the use of ITS in Denmark can take shape: ITS is a key instrument in transport policy used to promote an effective, safe and environmentally friendly transport system, which by giving citizens and companies greater mobility contributes to welfare, improved productivity and competitiveness and supports economic growth. ITS helps to promote cohesion in the transport system, where joined-up planning, information and technology mean that switching between the different forms of transport is simple, quick and cheap. ITS helps to reduce the environmental impact of traffic as it helps to improve the use and efficiency of vehicles and helps drivers so that energy consumption, CO2 emissions, noise and air pollution are reduced. Furthermore, increased investment in ITS can help promote competitiveness and productivity in the transport industry and help Danish companies by creating new market opportunities and generating turnover. Here an information pillar warns a vehicle that the road is blocked due to an accident and advises the driver to make a detour. Greater investment in ITS can therefore promote transport policy objectives generally as: ITS helps to increase traffic flow and promote efficiency in the transport system by better use of both infrastructure and resources so that transport becomes as fast and inexpensive as possible. ITS helps to improve road safety by providing, for example, safer vehicles and better traffic management, control and information, so that the number of people killed and injured is permanently reduced. The van driver has pre-booked the parking space from 4 o clock to 4:15. The parking sign indicates that his vehicle may be parked there at the time stipulated. DANISH STRATEGY FOR ITS MARCH 2011

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14 4: Vision for the future 2020 Information technology and the way in which it applies to the transport sector is evolving rapidly, and there is considerable uncertainty as to how quickly many of the promising new technologies will be ready for the market. This makes it difficult to assess to what extent ITS will be used in Denmark over the next ten years. However, there is a need for a common understanding, a benchmark to help us see where we are heading. The strategy therefore outlines a vision for the future for 2020 which will show what ITS will be like in Denmark after many years of active investment in ITS. The vision for the future will there-fore be the benchmark and milestone for the strategy and will help to steer the initiatives that are being proposed. The vision for the future is an ambitious but realistic prognosis of what the situation might be like in 2020 in nine key areas: Traffic information Traffic management and control Payment systems ITS in cars Safety-enhancing systems Environmental protection Freight transport The ITS industry Organisation and partnership Traffic Information In 2020 traffic information will be used in a specific way to provide motorists information early enough to allow them to change their travelling habits accordingly. This includes moving their transport requirements to particular times and using means of transport where there is more capacity available. This means that better use is being made of existing capacity in the transport system. It has also been possible to postpone a number of investments in new capacity. Real time traffic information is being collected in large parts of the road network and in public transport, and information is accessible across the different forms of transport. Information is made available to users via mobile devices (smart phones, built-in display screens in cars, tablets etc.). There is only a limited amount of investment in new infrastructure at stations, on buses and along the roadside. Motorists and users of public transport are now able to plan their journey effectively from home or en route and receive relevant information and assistance on their journey. Information may relate, for example, to a change of route due to an accident or other incident, help with regard to switching to a different means of transport, directions to bicycle parking, car parking and park & rides that have spare capacity etc. Therefore motorists and users of public transport can be guided through the transport system based on prevailing traffic conditions and on a short and long term prognosis of how the traffic conditions will evolve. Up-to-date information on expected delays over a 24-hour period will make it possible for motorists and users of public transport to choose the best time to travel. This offers a number of benefits for both individuals and so-ciety. The traffic is now spread out more evenly throughout the day than has been the case to date, and this means that better use is made of road capacity, and it has therefore been possible to postpone some investments in road infrastructure. Information on road traffic is now largely being picked up automatically from cars in traffic via their electronic equipment or via the motorists mobile devices. The information is used by private service providers and by the Danish Road Directorate, which can then send traffic reports a few minutes later Attempt to show the motorist the actual traffic flow on the road network on the dashboard. DANISH STRATEGY FOR ITS MARCH 2011

15 via the radio, Internet and mobile devices. Many cars can also report rain, fog, slippery roads and snow. Data relating to traffic conditions on all major roads is being collected and disseminated. Systems are integrated with equivalent systems in neighbouring countries so that a single cohesive system is available to motorists. All forms of public transport provide real time information on their whereabouts and on any delays to a central server, and the information is disseminated immediately to mobile devices and information boards. Car sharing has become a success thanks to effective services that are able to link up information about where people are and where they want to go. Traffic management and control On large parts of the road network road and traffic conditions are logged on a continual basis and speed limits and other important information are available to users in digital format. Motorists are warned and notified of hazardous situations on display screens in their cars. Where necessary, traffic is managed and controlled using variable speed signs and lane signs etc. Variable signs can also be used to direct traffic onto alternative routes. Information fed directly to display screens in cars and public transport has gradually become the most important means of conveying information. In % of cars will be online, either because the cars were manufactured with an ITS box or because the driver has had one retrofitted. The possibilities for flexible use are embedded in all new road construction, and ramp meetering has been installed on motorway slip roads where there are often congestion problems. Mobile forms of ITS are being installed at major road works so that motorists are warned and speeds canbe adjusted according to conditions. Hard shoulders can be used for traffic during the rush hour where and when appropriate. At signal controlled junctions priority can be given to public transport over other traffic. Around major towns all relevant authorities and transport companies collaborate using ITS so that traffic can be controlled according to a joint strategy involving road authorities and the various forms of transport. In a number of ways ITS has helped to facilitate traffic flow in towns, for example, by improvements and better coordination of signalling. Several major demonstration projects in urban areas have made it possible to produce tangible results in the form of faster travel, improved safety and reduced environmental impact. Variable signs have made it possible to change the appearance of several major urban roads depending on the time of day and the day of the week. Payment systems Paper tickets and cards have almost disappeared. Virtually all tickets are bought and carried on either mobile phones or the travel card. The travel card system has been up and running successfully for many years, and most people use the travel card system without thinking about it when they use their mobile phones to check in and out on a journey. SMS tickets were very popular for a while but have now been completely superseded by the travel card and mobile solutions. ITS in cars All new cars sold in Denmark are manufactured with a box which, for example, supports the need for ecall, as well as many other services (depending on the make of car) that make car journeys easier. These include dynamic route guidance and customised information on facilities available en route. The boxes meet the EU s standards for road toll charging (EETS), so when Danish motorists have to pay road tolls abroad, payment is made automatically via the box. EETS has also meant that costs for introducing nationwide variable (green) road tolls have reduced significantly due to the standardised boxes that can work from country to country. Safety-enhancing systems The latest cars are rarely involved in accidents. Thanks to the latest electronic equipment, cars are able to react very quickly to hazardous situations both in relation to other drivers and to vulnerable road users. The latest cars are able to communicate with each other and tell each other what they are going to do and whether there are vulnerable road users or potentially hazardous situations ahead. 15

16 In such cases, the driver of the vehicle is given a warning, and the car gets ready to handle any hazardous situation, for example, by reducing speed. Safetyrelated information is sent to servers managed by public authorities and is then disseminated to drivers in the area. Additional information is sent to servers belonging to the car manufacturer and is used for different services. The system is used by drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. When accidents happen, emergency services respond quickly thanks to automated alerts in the form of ecalls. Opportunities for using ITS to enforce traffic regulations are now available and the balance between personal freedom and automatic monitoring of road safety interests is an ongoing part of the debate on transport policy. On routes where journey times are recorded by licence plate recognition, the average speed of cars can be calculated and recorded, and the information can be used for speed limit enforcement. It will also be possible to ensure that drivers who are caught repeatedly exceeding the speed limit are only able to continue driving if they agree to having intelligent speed adaptation technology installed in their car, so that the car can only exceed the road s speed limit for a short while. Most public authorities have also installed intelligent speed adaptation devices in their cars. Part of the punishment for convicted drink drivers is that they can only drive if their vehicles are fitted with an alcohol-sensing device. Environmental protection Cars are equipped with instruments that help drivers to drive with more energy efficiency, for example, by telling drivers when to change gear and also alerting them to when tyre pressures are too low. If drivers in fuel-driven cars forget to change to a higher gear, the accelerator pedal will remind the driver by means of a slight vibration. Computers will also help drivers of hydrogen, hybrid and electric cars in energy-efficient driving. Signalling in towns has been improved, ensuring that motorists get where they want to go as efficiently as possible. On routes where drivers have high priority, traffic lights will ensure that the fewest possible drivers have to stop at them. Most cars are equipped with route guidance systems that can help motorists reach their destination and which can suggest routes which, depending on prevailing traffic conditions, make the smallest environmental impact. Route guidance systems can also help drivers find available parking spaces including parking spaces at bus and train stations. Easily accessible information on public transport on the Internet and mobile applications has given people greater flexibility in choosing between the car and public transport. Overall, these factors have helped get people out of their cars and into buses and trains. In remote areas with smaller numbers of on-demand taxis have replaced large buses. Both have resulted in better service and less environmental impact. Many companies hold some of their meetings in the form of virtual meetings using video conferencing technology. Freight transport Freight transport has much in common with passenger transport and has therefore benefited greatly from the many improvements that are generally happening in road transport. Freight transport also has access to a range of specific information and systems based on real time data. This makes it possible for companies to plan more effectively and schedule their shipments in real time, as well as to comply with The forerunner of convoy driving already comes in the form of ACC, Adaptive Cruise Control, where a lorry, for example, can use radar technology to ensure that it remains at a fixed distance from the vehicle driving in front. DANISH STRATEGY FOR ITS MARCH 2011

17 4: Vision for the future 2020 ITS on the Øresund brigde regulations governing driving and rest periods and the many specific restrictions applying to lorries in central urban areas. Companies are also able to track shipments and monitor freight en route. Systems provide, for example, information on curfews, vertical clearances and compulsory routes, as well as information about spare capacity at service station parking areas. In various places in Denmark, for example in Ustrup Øst, advanced lorry parking spaces have been set up which mean that lorry drivers can reserve parking at service station parking areas an hour before their expected arrival time so that they can make the best use of driving and regulatory rest periods. The first trials with convoy driving, which makes an approximate 50 % energy saving and increases capacity on motorways, is being introduced in Germany. Furthermore it is expected that the trial in 2022 will include heavy goods traffic on the E45 between the German border and Århus. It is now possible to track the flow of freight in Denmark thanks to voluntary collaboration between freight transport partners involving anonymous reporting of shipments to a server run by a public authority. This information can be used for planning road building projects, supporting business development and providing better traffic information. The ITS Industry Targeted investment in ITS has resulted in the setting up of a Danish ITS cluster. A number of Danish companies have gained a firm foothold on the ITS market both in Denmark and abroad. This is mainly in software and system development as well as in wireless and mobile technologies. Danish companies have also found a market for equipment and devices that can be retrofitted to cars. A number of innovative development projects have been successfully carried out involving public authorities, private companies and research organisations. Danish companies and research organisations are heavily involved in international research and development projects. Organisation and partnership All municipalities and the Danish Road Directorate have set up a joint system for maintaining road data that is of interest to a wider audience. The system has been inspired by a pilot trial with the digital road network in Joint centralised management and monitoring of the many ITS systems have resulted in efficient and economic operation of the systems. 17

18 5: Focus areas Targeted and coordinated investment will be necessary to fulfil the vision described in section 3, and turn the vision of the future outlined in section 4 into reality. It will be necessary to continue with and expand a large number of initiatives that are already underway or planned. These include developing the database and bringing in new sources of data, developing existing information systems which also provide more real time information for motorists and users of public transport, expanding the traffic management systems on the roads, establishing bus priority systems and dynamic signal control and developing new payment systems etc. However, it will also be necessary to focus on completely new areas. It is not just a question of developing technical systems. There is also a need to focus on organising and allocating roles in the sector involving public authorities and the private sector - developing common system architecture and standards, developing expertise through education and research in the sector etc. This section outlines nine focus areas which will be crucial in terms of developing ITS in Denmark. The areas of application for ITS outlined in the vision for the future are transformed here into nine focus areas, as focus areas in some cases cover the areas of application for ITS. 1 System architecture, standards and international harmonisation 2 Database 3 Capacity and safety-enhancing systems 4 Public transport 5 Freight transprt 6 Payment systems 7 Knowledge and skills 8 Business development 9 Organisational framework and distribution of roles For the description of each focus area, the key recommendations are presented in a blue box like this one. DANISH STRATEGY FOR ITS MARCH 2011

19 1: System architecture, standards and international harmonisation Continued development of ITS means that data can be used by public authorities, all forms of transport and systems and can be made available to the many stakeholders. Different systems can support one another, so that traffic can be managed and motoristsand users of public transport can be informed whatever form of transport they may be using. To turn this vision into reality there is a need to establish a comprehensive system architecture for ITS in Denmark. The government will establish a comprehensive and cohesive system architecture for ITS in Denmark, which ensures that individual parts (projects and systems) function as part of a common comprehensive framework and interact effectively. The system architecture will ensure that ITS is developed in a standardised way and that technological islands are avoided. The architecture should define the overall distribution of roles and responsibilities both in terms of organisation and systems. Location and function of interfaces should be defined in such a way that it is possible to have a modular structure while avoiding technological dependence, creating the basis for open competition for the supply of systems and components. An appropriate system architecture will provide significant savings in terms of set-up and operation. The system architecture will ensure that ITS is developed in a standardised way and that technological islands are avoided. The architecture should define the overall distribution of roles and responsibilities both in terms of organisation and systems. Location and function of interfaces should be defined in such a way that it is possible to have a modular structure while avoiding technological dependence, creating thebasis for open competition for the supply of systems and components. An appropriate system architecture will provide significant savings in terms of set-up and operation. The architecture should establish an overview of existing systems and processes. Future user needs should be clarified, and on that basis the overall functions and processes should be defined and allocated. A physical architecture should stipulate how the major systems and components should be allocated and how they form part of the overall system. A communication architecture should specify the principles of how the various systems will interact. The architecture should also specify the common norms and standards that future systems should use. The EU Commission has prepared a model for ITS system architecture, and the system architecture in Denmark should be based on it. This is a methodical and non-prescriptive approach, which is also used by several other EU countries. The development of ITS in Denmark should take account of developments taking place in the rest of the EU, so that users experience a single cohesive system as far as this can be achieved. The system architecture should therefore be based on the EU Commission's ITS Action Plan and associated directives. Temporary speed reduction near a school 19

20 Information on a mobile telephone for users of public transport Based on GPS data from vehicles, the Danish Road Directorate has calculated vehicle speeds at a motorway junction near Århus. This is illustrated in colour so that green colours indicate high speed, and yellow / orange colours indicate lower speeds. 2: Data Turning the vision of the future into reality means that we have to obtain a lot more traffic data, and this data should be standardised, quality assured and made available to as many users as possible. For public transport there is a need for data on timetables and information on the current status of traffic flow. This information can also be picked up by computers on buses. For planning of timetables there is a need for data on how users of public transport can switch between buses and trains. This information will be picked up by the travel card. To a certain extent data on road traffic can be obtained using road equipment such as cameras and reels, but in future data from vehicles on the road will probably be by far the main source of traffic information. A larger and more diverse range of data sources means that automated processing of data from source to end users will be even more important. Information about the road network and its condition is also of critical importance. This includes information about speed limits, driving restrictions, road works, incidents, vertical clearances, icy roads etc. Digitalisation of information about the road network can help provide easy access to this data. The public sector must continue to work hard to secure more data, ensure better quality of data and integrate and merge this data. Private companies will be increasingly involved in collecting traffic data. These include transport and taxi companies that use fleet management systems based on GPS in vehicles. Private motorists are also reporting more and more GPS data from their navigation systems to private companies. Some of these companies would like to cooperate with the public sector with regard to providing data, while others only want to help their own customers by providing them with traffic information. The ITS directive nevertheless ensures that private companies should provide basic data on road safety which is available to everyone. Access to data from private companies will be increasingly crucial for developing effective ITS systems. Clear goals should be set specifying what publicly owned traffic information should be made available to private stakeholders. Access to data is critical for ensuring that both private and public stakeholders can develop effective ITS applications - for the benefit of motorists, users of public transport and the wider community. Several EU Directives ensure that government organisations to a large extent make all traffic-related data available to private companies. Making this data freely available also means that it will bring the greatest benefit to society. Furthermore this will make it easier for the numerous small producers of programs for mobile phones, the so-called apps, to make creative solutions that can benefit motorists and users of public transport. Data should therefore be provided free of charge, although charges may be made for quality assurance and quality improvements. Public sector organisations should also endeavour to work more closely with private companies in terms of collecting and delivering data. It will be a growing challenge to ensure that private companies use their own traffic data to provide route guidance and traffic information, bypassing road authorities, as these companies will often select the best route based on the needs of individual users and not on the requirements of the wider community. Copenhagen s bicycle counter at the Town Hall Square in Copenhagen. DANISH STRATEGY FOR ITS MARCH 2011