DeviceGuru

Presentation videos from the annual Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Europe Forum, held June 15 in Brussels, are now available for public online access. This year’s event had the theme, “Bringing Intelligence into Mobility — Deployment Challenges.” and was sponsored by ERTICO – ITS Europe, a public/private ITS stakeholder partnership.

According to ERTICO, the event explored the current status and ambitions of ITS as seen from a variety of stakeholder perspectives, including those of service providers, telecom operators, infrastructure providers, manufacturers, the public sector, and user groups.

High-level representatives from each group presented and discussed the latest ITS services and future deployment plans up to 2020, ERTICO reports. Specific topics included the role of ITS in the electrification of vehicles, the impact of the cellular revolution on ITS, and how ITS deployment is driven by competition.

ITS Europe Forum 2010 in action

Results gathered from numerous current European ITS deployments demonstrated the ability to improve road safety, reduce congestion, and support the driver, ERTICO said. Additionally, the Forum’s attendees reportedly displayed great “enthusiasm and commitment to advancing ITS to where it will provide all the necessary information to the traveler to ensure safe, comfortable, predictable, and environmental journeys.”

Dr Gunter Zimmermeyer, ERTICO Chairman, stated, “Whereas cooperation to ensure interoperability and resilience is necessary at the research stage, deployment will be driven by companies competing to offer the best service at the best price. ITS will not only make transport greener and safer, but also provide a competitive edge for industry.”

Jean-Eric Paquet, Director of DG MOVE, presented the current status of the ITS Action Plan and the associated ITS Directive. “The ITS Action Plan outlines the priority areas and related measures for accelerating and coordinating the deployment of ITS solutions across the European Union, and to ensure seamless ITS services for European citizens,” he explained. “The European Union will meet the challenge of providing the necessary environment for the successful deployment of ITS.”

“ITS contributes to European competitiveness by creating valuable export goods, technologies and services,” said Zita Gurmai, a member of the European Parliament. “I consider our cooperation with ERTICO among one of my most fruitful professional relationships… there are only a few organizations working in such a close relationship with the European decision making bodies.”

ERTICO concluded its summary of the event as follows: “There was agreement that the ITS community can only successfully move ITS forward if it works together in partnership. We stand at the threshold of a world where connected transport modes contribute to zero accidents, zero delays, reduced impact on the environment and fully informed people, where services are affordable and seamless, privacy is respected and security ensured.”

A list of the Forum’s complete agenda and videos of several key presentations are available for public access on the Forum’s website, here.