AN INTRODUCTION TO

INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

1.212
SPRING 2005
Professor Joseph M. Sussman

Mon/Wed 2:30-4

BLOCK 1
(Lectures 1, 2)

INTRODUCTION TO ITS

Basic Concepts

SPEAKER: Joseph M. Sussman

MIT

February 2, 2005
 DEFINITION OF ITS

‹ Intelligent Transportation
Systems (ITS) apply well-
established technologies of
communications, control,
electronics and computer
hardware and software to the
surface transportation system.
TECHNOLOGY S YSTEMS

INSTITUTIONS
 WHAT 1.212 IS ABOUT
‹ It’s a transportation class, with all that
implies
‹ It’s a policy class -- how
transportation relates to major
societal goals
‹ It’s a technology development and
deployment class
‹ It’s a complex system (CLIOS) class
‹ It’s a “Regions” class
‹ Planning
‹ Architecture

‹ It’s an organizations/institutions class

‹ It’s an advanced research ideas class
 1.212 CLASS SYLLABUS
Spring 2005

Blo ck Top ic Lectures

1 Int rod uct ion to ITS, in clu d in g w here ITS fits; r oles an d 2
re spon sibilities
2 Ad vanc ed Tra ve ler I nformat ion Syst em s (ATIS), includ ing 3
funct iona lity ; bu sin ess mo del s; field tr ip to Sma rtRout e Syst em s
3 Ad vanc ed Tran spo rtat ion Mana gem ent System s (ATMS), 3
incl u d ing n etw ork op er ati ons; inci de nt d ete ction; con gestion
p ricin g, tollin g, H OT lan es, examp le d ep loym ents
4 Fleet -orient ed ITS services, inclu d in g Ad vanc ed Pub lic 3
Tran spo rtat ion Syst em s (APTS); BRT; Comm er cial Vehic le
Op er at ion s (CVO); Int er m oda l Fre ight , inclu d in g Intern ati onal
Op er at ion s an d Su ppl y Cha ins
5 ITS an d Techn ology, includ ing au tomat ed h ighw ay syst em s 2
(AHS); sens or s, electroni c toll collection (ETC); d ed icate d sho rt
ran ge commun icat ion ; standa rd s
6 Regi ona lly-sca led ITS d ep loym ent, inc lu d in g regi ona l 6
arch itectu re; organ izat iona l an d inst itu tion al is su es; stan d ards ;
d eve lop ed vs . de velopin g coun tries; ITS an d strat egic reg iona l
transp ortat ion plann ing; Int egr ati n g in frast ruc tu re an d
op er at ions p lannin g
7 Critical ITS Issu es, inc lu d in g (as t im e p erm its) ITS and secu rity; 4
sa fety; human facto rs; p rivac y; sus taina bility; fu nd ing (as
con trast ed w ith conv ent iona l infrast ruct u re); tech nol og y
d ep loym ent/R &D/p olicy; oth er ins titut iona l issu es
8 Conclusi on, i n clu di ng re giona l ITS plann ing an d ar chit ectu re 3
p re senta tion ; th e fu tur e of ITS
 STUDENT
REQUIREMENTS
1. One short (7 pages) assignment.
2. “Mini” Term Paper (about 10 pages -- topic to
be “negotiated” with Professor Sussman);
submitted right after Spring Break.
A. Critical review of selected ITS literature
B. A paper or analysis on some topic of interest to
you.
3. Readings
4. Group Regional ITS Planning and Architecture
Project (second half of semester)
5. Discussion Articles -- We will distribute several
articles that will be discussed (interactively) at
the next lecture. We will ask you to write a
brief summary of the article to be submitted
before the discussion.
6. Class Participation
 BIG ITS IDEAS

‹ The ITS-4 Technologies

‹ The ITS Insight: Linkage of Vehicle
and Infrastructure
‹ Regionalism
‹ Intermodalism
‹ Information
‹ Mobility
‹ The Potential of Pricing
‹ Institution Building
and
‹ Institutional Change
‹ Nationally-Consistent System
‹ Internationally-Consistent System
THE FUNDAMENTAL ITS
INSIGHT

‹ Linkage of vehicle and

transportation infrastructure
through ITS infrastructure.

VEHICLE

ITS INFRASTRUCTURE
SENSORS
COMMUNICATIONS
IT
ALGORITHMS

TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE
(BROADLY DEFINED)
 THE
ITS-4 TECHNOLOGIES

‹ Sensing
‹ Communications
‹ Computing
‹ Algorithms
 SUV

B
sensors U VMS Truck
S car

traff ic car car-to-car communication Wei gh

lights
Station

sensors
GPS
ETC satellit e
TOC

Cell phone
tower
 SOME VEHICLE
FEATURES

Transponder
Cell Phone, PDA

Lap Top

Sensors
(e.g., for
intelligent
cruise control)
Telematics: In-vehicle equipment
 TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM DIMENSIONS

ORGANIZATIONAL SCALE

Integrated Supply Chain

Intermodal

Modal

GEOGRAPHIC
SCALE

Urban Regional National Global

Real-Time

Tactical
Planning

Strategic
Planning

TIME SCALE
APPROACHES
Quantitative Models (OR, Simulation, …)
Qualitative Frameworks for Analysis
Transportation Domain Knowledge
 DRIVING FACTORS
IN TRANSPORTATION

TECHNOLOGIES

RESOURCES /
EXTERNALITIE S

ISSUES
Economic Development
Quality of Life
Social Equity
Sustainability
Environmental Issues

INSTITUTIONAL
AND
ORGANIZATIONAL
REALITIES
ITS at the Nexus of Major
Issues
‹ Congestion and the environment on
the public agenda
‹ Financing of transportation
infrastructure, with gas tax revenues
under pressure
‹ Focus on operations in many fields
including transportation
‹ The region as the unit of economic
competition and environmental
management - the concept of Regional
Strategic Transportation Planning
(RSTP)
‹ Architecture as a key idea in many
kinds of large scale engineering
systems
BIG, WORLD-WIDE CHANGES
Mid-1980s to the Present --

WHERE DOES ITS (AND, MORE

BROADLY, TRANSPORTATION)
FIT?
 CONTEXT
(at the time of the 1991/2
strategic plan)
‹ Transportation at a “Crossroads”
(Congestion, Safety,
Environment, Energy and
Productivity)
Can’t build our way out of it
‹ ITS Addresses All These Key
Issues
‹ Technology -- No Breakthrough
Needed
‹ Institutions -- Partnerships
‹ Transportation -- Information
Infrastructure
‹ Broad-based Set of Benefits
 GOALS FOR ITS
IN THE U.S.
(at the time of the 1991/2
strategic plan)
‹ Improved Safety
‹ Reduced Congestion
‹ Increased and Higher Quality
Mobility
‹ Reduced Environmental Impact
‹ Improved Energy Efficiency
‹ Improved Economic Productivity
‹ A Viable U.S.ITS Industry
 VISION
(at the time of the 1991/2
strategic plan)
‹ A national system that operates
consistently and efficiently across
the U.S. to promote the safe,
orderly and expeditious movement
of people and goods.
‹ An efficient public system that
interacts smoothly with improved
highway operations.
‹ A vigorous U.S. ITS industry
supplying both domestic and
international needs.
 ITS “RECENT”
U.S. HISTORY
Early 1970s Electronic Route Guidance
(ERGS)
1986 California (CALTRANS)
1987 Federal government (FHWA)
1990 Mobility 2000
1991 Formation of ITS America
1991-2 Strategic Plan Development
1991 ISTEA (Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act)
1994 ITS Architecture Contracts
1996 Major Regional Initiatives
1997 Automated Highway
Demonstration in San Diego
1998 TEA-21
2002/3 Ten-Year ITS Plan
2003/4 TEA-21 Reauthorization
 FUNDAMENTAL
ATMS/ATIS SYSTEMS

VEHICLE

I NFRASTRUCTURE

TRANSPORTATION
OPERATIONS
CENTER
(TOC)

ATMS - - ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION M ANAGEMENT

SYSTEM
(OPERATOR)
ATIS - - ADVANCED TRAVELER INFORMATION SYSTEM
(CUSTOMER)
 SOME FUNCTIONS

‹ Manage and monitor the network traffic

flows
‹ Provide information on the state of the
network
‹ Fleet management (vehicle location)
‹ Trucks
‹ Buses
‹ Monitoring vehicle condition and status
‹ Trucks
‹ Buses
‹ Autonomous systems
‹ Vehicle status
‹ Intelligent cruise control
‹ Obstacle detection
 SOME KEY ITS
CONCEPTS (I)
‹ The Need for Organization Innovation
‹ Public/Private Partnership
‹ All Levels of Government
‹ Changes in the Definition of a
“Transportation Professional”
‹ Academic/Research Role
‹ Building a U.S. ITS Industry/Test of the
Marketplace
‹ International Competition for the ITS
Market
‹ The Role of the Auto Manufacturer
‹ The Role of the Information Service
Providers
‹ The Size of the Public and Private
Markets
‹ ITS as a National System
‹ Standards and Protocols
 SOME KEY ITS
CONCEPTS (II)
‹ Productivity and International
Competitiveness
‹ Congestion
‹ Safety
‹ Sustainability
‹ Environment
‹ Energy
‹ Mobility
‹ Limits on “Build More Highways” Option
‹ ITS as an Enabling Technology --
‹ The TRANSPORTATION/ INFORMATION
INFRASTRUCTURE
‹ An Extended Definition of Infrastructure
‹ Integration of IT, Communications, Sensors
‹ Spending on Infrastructure Works
‹ Productivity Improvements
‹ Examples:
‹ Interstate System
‹ Air System
‹ ITS and the Regional Scale