Automotive Industry Trends

Interoperability is the Key Department of Transportation ITS Standards Program

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Telematics - Revolutionizing the Auto Industry GM - A Leader In Telematics OnStar® In-Vehicle Communication Service Interoperability is the Key Department of Transportation ITS Standards Program Finding a Common Language Developing Traveler Information Systems

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) standards, also known as advanced transport Telematics, are essentially transport management systems that apply information technology and telecommunications to the resolution of transport problems. They cover areas such as safety, congestion, pollution and even infrastructure deterioration. ITS standards provide policy makers, government, operators, industry and the general public tools that help them meet their transport objectives more efficiently, cost-effectively and safely.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Standards Program is working toward the widespread use of standards to encourage the interoperability of ITS systems. By advancing the development and integrated deployment of ITS technologies, DOT has improved the safety and efficiency of the nation's surface transportation system.

ITS standards are industry-consensus standards that define how system components operate within a consistent framework. The framework is known as the National ITS Architecture. By specifying how systems and components interconnect, the standards promote interoperability.

The National ITS Architecture provides a common framework for planning, defining, and integrating intelligent transportation systems. It is a mature product that reflects the contributions of a broad cross-section of the ITS community (i.e. transportation practitioners, systems engineers, system developers, technology specialists, consultants, etc.) over a nine year period. The architecture defines:

• The functions (e.g., gather traffic information or request a route) that are required for ITS
  
• The physical entities or subsystems where these functions reside (e.g., the roadside or the vehicle)
  
• The information flows and data flows that connect these functions and physical subsystems together into an integrated system

Specific objectives of the DOT ITS program are to:

• Expedite ITS deployment
  
• Include ITS in the transportation planning process
  
• Improve regional cooperation
  
• Promote the innovative use of private resources
  
• Develop a technically competent workforce
  
• Complete deployment of Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN)

Through cooperative agreements with standards developing organizations (SDOs), the Standards Program is accelerating development of about 100 non-proprietary, industry-based, consensus ITS standards, and is encouraging public-sector participation in the development process. Some of the partners in this standards endeavor include:

• Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
• Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
  
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
  
• National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
  
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
  
• American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
  
• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
  
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  
• Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA)
  
• Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)
  
• Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
  
• Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  …and more

The Standards Program is maturing from a primarily standards development program to a standards deployment program by rapidly moving into standards deployment support. Such support includes helping to build credibility in the standards through testing and case studies, providing standards resource information, supporting training and technical assistance to others, developing deployment experience-based guidance such as "lessons learned," and assessing the readiness of standards for deployment. In addition, the program is coordinating U.S. ITS standards efforts with international standardization activities. The U.S. DOT ITS Standards Program has been monumental in assisting the ITS systems and applications in forging ahead by making them interoperable.