Intelligent Transport System

Anil Chhikara, MLO (Projects), Transport Department, Government of Delhi

Question: What is Intelligent Transport System (ITS)?

Answer: ITS is a broad range of technologies and is the combination vehicle information and communication system, global positioning system, digital mapping, video cameras, sensors and is creating new trends in traffic management throughout the world.

ITS include the application of advanced information processing (computers) communications, sensor and control technologies and management strategies in an integrated manner to improve the functioning of the transportation system. These systems provide traveller information to increase the safety and efficiency of the ground transportation system for passengers and freight in both urban and rural areas and inter-city and international corridors, including border crossings. ITS also provide valuable, real-time information to system operators such as transit systems, commercial vehicle fleets, and emergency and security vehicle fleet operators. These applications bring system users, vehicles and infrastructure together into one integrated system that enables the exchange of information for better management and use of available resources.

Question: What are the various benefits of ITS?

Answer: a) For Government -

1.	Instant tracking of any vehicle.
2.	Identification and location of vehicles involved in crimes, tax default vehicles, accident involved vehicles and stolen vehicles.
3.	Message to any number of vehicles in almost no time.
4.	Easy traffic diversion.
5.	Effective enforcement with less manpower and cheaper enforcement cost.
6.	Advance traveller information system.
7.	100% accurate toll collection.

 
b) For Users -

1.	Easy instant toll payment.
2.	Easy border crossing.
3.	Safety requirements and anti-collision devices integration.
4.	Fleet management at low cost.
5.	Increase in fuel efficiency.
6.	Advance traveller information/traffic congestion information and dynamic navigation of vehicles.
7.	Anti-theft systems.

 
Question: How is Electronic Toll Collection important?

Answer: Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) is a fairly mature technology that facilitates electronic payment of highway tolls.

ETC systems take advantage of vehicle-to-roadside communication technologies traditionally via microwave or infrared communication, more recently via global positioning system (GPS) technology to perform an electronic monetary transaction between a vehicle passing through a toll station and the toll agency. ETC systems require Onboard Units (OBU), vehicle detection and classification as well as enforcement technologies. The benefits of ETC are: - Increase in toil lane capacity; Reduction in motorist waiting time; Convenience for toll payers; Fuel savings and decrease in mobile emissions by reducing or eliminating waiting times and reduction in toll collection costs; and enhancement of audit control by centralising user accounts.

It greatly enhances the possibility to implement congestion pricing by breaking technical barriers: non-intrusive toll collection requires much less infrastructure, automatic vehicle counting and classification and automated accounting systems. Digital licensed plate recognition devices can accurately and efficiently identify toll violators.

New Developments

A new class of ETC systems based on Vehicle Positioning Systems (VPS) seems very promising in terms of delivering ETC via Global Positioning Systems technology. The main advantages are: Absence of the need for ETC road infrastructure and the much greater flexibility in defining or changing payment systems by simply redefining the "virtual" toll areas.

ETC systems are also emerging as a very cost effective and efficient manner of implementing traffic surveillance. For the time being, this is done primarily via toll tags and roadside infrastructure. In the future, GPS based ETC may emerge as a more efficient manner of implementing surveillance for a host of reasons. More research and testing is needed in this area to compare the relative advantages of these two types of surveillance.

Question: How has ITS proved beneficial worldwide?

Answer: The potential benefits of ITS applications are enormous for all concerned including users and providers of services, the Government and the public at large. There are benefits, for instance, for users in congested urban areas as well as those in rural communities. The key benefits of ITS technologies are: Improved safety of the transportation system; Reduced congestion and improved mobility; Enhanced economic productivity; Reduced travel time; less government, traveller and operator costs; Improved energy efficiency and Reduced impacts on the environment.

▪	The congestion measures have reduced the duration of incidents from occurrence to clearance from 86 to 30 minutes; and the average delay per incident has been reduced by 537 vehicle hours. By displaying incident messages when incidents occur, approximately 200 accidents have been prevented per year resulting in $10 million savings in resources.
▪	The time has been reduced by 5.3 million vehicle-hours per year and fuel usage by 11.3 per cent in annual fuel consumption.
▪	Application of ITS have resulted in a 12 to 23 per cent increase in transit system on-time performance with passenger waiting time reduced by up to 50 per cent.
▪	Electronic fare payment systems, where available, have gained patron popularity of up to 90 per cent.
▪	The system has saved commercial vehicle operators $55 million annually and has generated $20 million in exports per year.
▪	The system has reduced emissions by 3,100 tonnes per year. Reduced accidents in rural areas with 911 and other emergency vehicle management services, crash avoidance systems, advance weather advisory capabilities, etc.
▪	New and increased market opportunities for suppliers and users.
▪	Reduced paper burden and operational costs with improved system efficiency from automated functions and electronic transactions.
▪	Improved monitoring and management of flows and incidents involving hazardous goods.
▪	Improved operational and compliance efficiencies for regulatory agencies, enabling them to focus on non-compliant operators.
▪	Improved data collection on traffic flows, goods carried, carriers, drivers and freight loads for economic, trade and regulatory authorities, facility administrators and transportation providers, enabling more effective policy planning, infrastructure design and operations management.

 
Question: What is Global Positioning System?

Answer: The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a worldwide radio-navigation system formed from a constellation of 24 satellites and their ground stations. GPS uses these "man-made stars" as reference points to calculate positions accurate to a matter of metres. In fact, with advanced forms of GPS, you can make measurements to better than a centimetre! In a sense, it's like giving every square metre on the planet a unique address. GPS receivers have been miniaturised to just a few integrated circuits and so are becoming very economical. And that makes the technology accessible to virtually everyone.


Question: What is Geographical Information System (GIS)?

Answer: It is a digital map used in GPS tracking containing the static information like petrol pump, restaurants, check-posts town/villages and dynamic information like traffic jams, location of vehicles, tax outstanding vehicles, etc. The GPS system uses GIS maps to display the objects, vehicles etc. The system also makes use of CCTV, video, VMS etc. to interface responsive, ergonomic, initiative incident management staff. Also, weather emergencies, unusual traffic activity and security related events are incorporated in the system.

 
Question: Is this tracking also available over mobile phone?

Answer: Yes, GSM/CDMA enabled mobile phone can also track the vehicles through mobile connectivity. This technique provides the location of motorcars within the proximity of mobile towers range. However, the exact location may not be tracked. The features claimed by Indian suppliers are -

1.	A low cost solution.
2.	Location identifier.
3.	Automated messaging to the registered user.
4.	Prevention of theft through messaging, alarming and immobilising through user's cell phone, if vehicle theft/unauthorised use is informed.
5.	Fuel level information to users.
6.	Remote control for air-conditioning on-off/engine on-off, door lock on-off, stereo protection, biometric user registration, etc.
7.	Two-way communication with driver/owner.

 

This system seems to be an alternative for individuals and may cost around Rs. 10,000 presently in India but the cost will reduce in future.

Question: Why India could not move ahead in ITS?

Answer: In India, the regulation of road transport is enforced by Traffic Police or RTOs. The Motor Vehicle Act/Rules have not been amended to accommodate the ITS assisted regulation in their rules.

A few private operators have taken initiative for toll collection through smart cards as in Mumbai & Delhi-Jaipur Highways. Many companies in India have developed the GPS module. However, the usage of GPS/GIS system is very limited, as the State Governments are not coming forward to introduce ITS.

It is also pertinent to mention that the ITS could be introduced only if Government ties up with private players who may provide turnkey solutions of ITS. To pave the way for introduction of ITS, the Government will have to do a lot of groundwork and switch over to the advanced electronic assisted system. Roadblocks may be there in the initial stages when ITS just enters the system, but India has shown, as in the case of telecommunication, IT and other sectors, that it can adapt and absorb complex technologies.