Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) has announced that it will launch its new Surface Transport Management system at the ITS World Congress 2016, held in Melbourne, Australia, this week on October 10-14.
Developed in collaboration with Microsoft Corp, using the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, the Surface Transport Management solution sits at the core of the ‘smart city’, where its multi-modal integration capabilities allow transport management centers (TMCs) to control and direct travel networks throughout the urban environment, and deliver safer, more secure and more reliable journeys for travelers.
The system is the first of its kind, providing a holistic view across all transportation modes. Both Cubic and Microsoft have long believed that the increasing prominence of the smart cities movement means that collaborative partnering among industry leaders, academia, and transportation operators is essential to systems that recognize the continuing evolution of the mobility sphere. As an example, this has meant designing a solution that is ready for the widespread deployment of fully autonomous vehicles for both passenger and freight movement.
The ‘Smart Cities Readiness Guide’ produced by the Smart Cities Council in the USA recently stated that a ‘helicopter view’ of holistic infrastructure-wide solutions is indicative of the move of cities toward integrated systems. Speaking of Cubic’s Surface Transport Management launch, Jesse Berst, chairman of the Smart Cities Council, said, “Interoperability is essential to all aspects of the smart city, and nowhere more so than in transportation. It reduces complexity and costs, while allowing cities to still get value from their legacy systems. Kudos to Cubic for tackling this tough challenge.”
Chris Bax, vice president of ITS global strategy at CTS, commented, “We are delighted to be unveiling the Surface Transport Management solution in Melbourne, which is regarded as the world’s most livable city. And for livability, this includes having an efficient transport infrastructure, and our solution delivers that. Our collaboration utilizes the massive power of Microsoft technology to deliver a highly flexible solution that will meet the demands of tomorrow’s connected cities. Every city faces a unique set of challenges, and as our preferred platform, Azure’s cloud-based flexibility means that each solution can be delivered in the most cost-effective way.”
Bill Mitchel, senior director of worldwide public sector at Microsoft, added, “Cubic’s innovative approach delivers a transportation platform taking advantage of our Azure cloud platform, allowing for a more flexible and scalable solution meeting today’s congestion management needs with the capability to evolve, meeting future system requirements.”
In addition to launching its new Surface Transport Management system, Cubic and Microsoft will also participate in a panel discussion addressing innovations in traffic and transportation management. Boris Karsch, vice president of strategy at CTS, will participate in the discussion, which will also include representatives from Transport for New South Wales and Mastercard, with Microsoft’s Bill Mitchel acting as moderator.
