The European Commission has welcomed the European Parliament voting in favour yesterday of a new legal framework for intelligent transport systems (ITS).
ITS can significantly contribute to a cleaner, safer and more efficient transport system. The Directive adopted yesterday should accelerate the deployment of innovative transport technologies across Europe.
Commission vice president Siim Kallas, responsible for transport, said: "This Directive is an important instrument for the coordinated implementation of ITS in Europe. We will make a huge step towards the deployment and use of interoperable and seamless ITS services while leaving Member States the freedom to decide which systems to invest in. Today's approval will foster a more efficient, safer, and more sustainable, integrated and competitive mobility in Europe."
Intelligent transport systems apply information and communication technologies to various modes of transport, in order to make them more efficient while minimizing the negative effects on health, nature, the economy, and quality of life. The costs of traffic congestion - estimated at 1% of European gross domestic product - can be reduced by 10% through the deployment of ITS. Intelligent technology in cars and trucks is expected to help prevent more than 5,000 deaths in road accidents each year.
The Directive will support the ITS Action Plan and aims to establish a framework to accelerate and coordinate the deployment and use of ITS for road transport, including the interfaces with other transport modes. The first priorities will be traffic and travel information, the eCall emergency system, and intelligent truck parking.
Under this Directive the Commission has to adopt within the next seven years specifications (such as functional, technical, organizational, or services provisions) to address the compatibility, interoperability, and continuity of ITS solutions across Europe. The Commission will also establish an European ITS Advisory Group, which will bring together representatives of relevant ITS stakeholders and advise the Commission on business and technical aspects of the implementation and deployment of ITS in the Union.
