HOW FAR WILL TRANSPORT TELEMATICS IMPROVE TRANSPORT EFFICIENCY, SAFETY, AND THE TRAVEL ENVIRONMENT?

The three main aims of transport telematics are to maximize road transport efficiency, improve safety, and contribute to environmental improvement. This paper will examine evidence from the results of the DRIVE and PROMETHEUS programs and from national transport telematics projects throughout Europe, as to how far the three aims are being achieved. The effects of the implementation of transport telematics on what the DRIVE program termed the integrated road transport environment will be profound. The paper examines how far this will improve the efficiency of installing transport telematics systems on the Trans European Road Network (TERN). It will also take an in depth look at those of the PROMETHEUS Common European Demonstrators (CEDs), which promise the greatest improvements in road safety. Other applications promise improvements in road safety and these will also be examined. The paper also considers estimates of the extent of some secondary effects of transport telematics--those on air, noise, and visual pollution. Finally, it points to the urgent need for horizontal research across demonstrator projects, particularly in the area of safety.