Intelligent transport systems: thematic research summary

The paper is one of the thematic research summaries (TRS). The theme of this TRS is intelligent transport systems (ITS). The first part of the paper includes a brief analysis of the scope of the theme, and a policy review where the main policy developments at European Union (EU) level are summarised. The ITS theme deals with several combinations of communication, computer and control technology developed and applied in the domain of transport to improve system performance, transport safety, efficiency, productivity, and level of service, environmental impacts, energy consumption, and mobility. ITS refers to efforts to add information and communications technology (ICT) to transport infrastructure, vehicles and transport/traffic management in an effort to manage factors that typically are at odds with each other, such as vehicles, loads, and routes to improve safety and reduce vehicle wear, transportation times, and fuel consumption. The second part of this paper includes a synthesis of the main findings and policy implications from research projects and is concluded with an overview of the implications for further research.