The European Commission (EC) has adopted new rules for the deployment of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) on Europe’s roads.
The EC’s new rules are in line with the proposals on clean mobility introduced by the Juncker Commission and contribute to the EU’s long-term goal of achieving close to zero fatalities and serious injuries by 2050 (“Vision Zero”).
Violeta Bulc, Commissioner for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission, said, “This decision gives vehicle manufacturers, road operators and others the long-awaited legal certainty needed to start large-scale deployment of C-ITS services across Europe, while remaining open to new technology and market developments.
“It will significantly contribute to us achieving our ambitions on road safety, and is an important stepping stone towards connected and automated mobility.”
Specifications from the EC establish the minimal legal requirements for interoperability between the different cooperative systems used. Interoperability will enable all equipped stations to exchange messages with any other station securely in an open network.
From 2019, vehicle manufacturers across the EU will be expected to start equipping their vehicles, and road operators to start equipping their roads with C-ITS technology.
Cooperative intelligent transport systems technology will normally be directly integrated into the vehicle. The total costs per car are estimated to be around €300 (US$340), which is expected to drop as more vehicles are equipped. Some vehicle manufacturers may offer the technology as standard safety equipment.
The cooperative element – enabled by digital connectivity between vehicles, and between vehicles and the transportation infrastructure – is expected to significantly improve road safety, traffic efficiency and comfort when driving, by helping the driver to make the right decisions and adapt to the traffic situation.
Driverless and human-driven vehicles can benefit from the C-ITS services, as they enable the connectivity of cars. With C-ITS, a self-driving or a normal vehicle will be informed that there are vehicles around it, even if not immediately visible.
Building on this experience, more advanced services will be developed in the future for instance to support self-driving vehicles to overtake efficiently or merge lines safely.
Click here to read the full EU Strategy for mobility of the future.
