Intelligent Transport System Unit-IV

ITS – Architecture:
ITS – Architecture is a conceptual framework of planning, integration and systematic
deployment of ITS with various functional services of transportation needs of an area. It
defines all types of transportation requirements by different modes and their
interoperability for safe and sustainable growth.
ITS – Architecture is described as a blueprint of structured framework of various proposed
need based services for citizens which are specifically /strategically located along a road
network at different levels –national, regional, state and local.
The ITS architecture should be common and of specified standards throughout the state or
region so that it can address solution to several problems while interacting with various
agencies.
1. Interoperability - The ITS architecture should be such that the information collected,
function implemented or any equipment installed be interoperable by various agencies
in different state and regions.
2. Capable of sharing and exchanging information - The information by traffic
operations may be useful to the emergency services.
3. Resource sharing - regional communication towers constructed by various private
agencies are required to be shared by ITS operations.

ITS master plan has set forth approaches and targets relating to transportation by the
government, after identifying current issues and future needs. Based on the national master
plan as described in National ITS Architecture, individual regions formulate regional ITS
master plans to solve regional issues in line with the set national master plan.
The classification of the system is based on their specific performance requirements, the
conceptual stage-wise development of the sub systems, and the role of stake holders with
integrated activity/action plan is defined including a set of future course of
action/improvements.

ITS architecture does not assume the use of specific technologies and their installations such
as products, sensors with software and supporting infrastructure. ITS architecture is generic
and allows the system developers freedom to have flexibility in design. This is, in order to
obtain optimised solutions while meeting the set standards and accommodating the interfaces
and inter-operability among the various modes of transport needed for operational efficiency
and future extensions.

OBJECTIVES OF ITS OPERATIONS:

The ITS master plan includes principles, targets and a roadmap ahead for the deployment of
ITS by involving experts from the public sector, private sector and academic/research
institutions for contribution and cooperation in implementation.

The following are the objectives of ITS operations:

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Defined action plan: It defines how the components of ITS and their functional services would
interact and indicate the future course of action plan towards solving current transportation
problems and future needs. It channelizes the deployment action plan by involving the
transportation and other related professionals in implementing the defined deployments for
short-term and long-term plans.

Common standard: 1TS architecture should be common and of specified standards of Sensors
and Communications throughout the nation, region, state and local road networks, so that it
can be utilized by all users commonly among different modes of transport with several services
across the country.

Resource sharing: The communication systems that are operated by various private and public
agencies are to be shared for all types of ITS services nation-wide.

Interoperable modes: The ideal ITS architecture should accommodate sharing of traffic data,
user needs information and payment facilities with flexible options to accept and receive the
information and interoperable by various modes of transport by different agencies nation-wide.
OPERATIONAL AND DEPLOYABLE ITS SERVICES:

The first requirement of ITS-architecture is to define what the user services are. The user
services are identified from current transportation problems, and also by conducting
stakeholder meetings before the creation of any ITS-architecture.

Identifying the user need-services by the following:

▪ Governmental organisations,
▪ Private sector representatives,
▪ Municipalities,
▪ Revenue department,
▪ Transport department,
▪ Medical department and other related organisations.
Therefore, the identified user services based on their needs are the core bases for defining of
the ITS-architecture. Later, the user identified service-needs are correlated with the required
components of the architecture that satisfy their local/regional transportation needs.

The components of any ITS architecture maybe classified into three types:

(i) Logical architecture,

(ii) Physical architecture, and
(iii) Sub-elements of physical architecture.
Logical architecture defines the functional services that are required to meet user needs. The
defined different functional services should be integrated and linked logically to share
information to provide a user service.

Physical architecture defines infrastructural components that realise the functional services and
linkup data flows in logical architecture.

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The sub systems of physical architecture comprise the subsequent supported physical entities
such as equipment, IT and communications network, and terminators such as
display/broadcast/controllers.

The architectural theme is maintained to pass on the data flow in a sequential order from one
functional unit to the other and finally to meet the needs of the desired service. Therefore, a
national ITS architecture should be able to

• guide in planning, define architectural components by integrating their functional

services for ITS planners and designate the systems for current and future user services,
• provide flexibility in interoperability of functional service needs of different
stakeholders using multi model transportation services and prevent duplicate
investment, and
• Identify the specific role of users/stakeholders and objectives of sharing of such
information to different functional service needs.

ITS PLANNING:

After identification of transportation problems, needs analysis is carried out to figure out to
what extent ITS-based services are required. Later, planning for ITS infrastructure in an area
is envisaged (predict) by setting up.

Vision:

Become the leader in ITS by promoting coordination among various user services by efficient,
safe, reliable, cyber-secure and sustainable transportation systems in the country/region.

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Goals:

a. Improve economic growth through better access, intermodal-connectivity interoperable

communication.

b. Enhance road safety and security.

c. Implement IOT for effective traffic management.

d. Improve sustainability by intelligent and energy efficient vehicle operations.

Objectives: Provide real-time multi-modal travel and traffic information for mitigating traffic
delays and road safety measures/response.

Strategies: Long term and shorter and immediate deployment actions.

ITS as a Technology Deployment Programme:

ITS covers different modes of transport and considers the vehicles, infrastructures, drivers,
passengers/ users and interactions among these on a real-time basis. Due to these requirements,
many ITS tools are useful for data collection, processing, integration, storage and sharing of
information. The technologies and physical infrastructure that support ITS include the
following (ESCAP, 2017).

➢ Detection and classification: Real-time vehicle flow detection and their classification
for traffic management, traveler information, safety and so on.

➢ CCTV and artificial vision by thermal/digital cameras: Traffic flow monitoring,

enforcement, safety and security purposes.

➢ Communication: Internet, microwave, short range radio and infrared-based DSRC,

Bluetooth, radio-GPS, cellular communications used tor real-time traffic and travel
information.
➢ Data acquisition and exchange: Real-time traffic data transfer and sharing of
information with the concerned functional services.
➢ Geographical Information System (GIS): Used for location-based databases of
transportation networks, service locations and the vehicle locations on a real-time basis.
➢ Digital mapping: All the ground road network and the infrastructure components
which are spatially distributed are mapped on digital platforms and uploaded to the GIS.

➢ Enroute guidance and in-vehicle systems: The equipment/devices/sensors used in

vehicles for their control and collision avoidance purposes, such as GPS, OBE, CCTV
and radars.

The theme of the architecture is that, information collection, sharing, processing and
redistribution are done to help the transportation needs of people and goods. A master plan
of structured component services, their inter-relationships, information management and

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the deployment strategies are its framework. The framework of this architecture comprises
three layers.

➢ Communications layer: Allows coordination and sharing of various sources of

information among sub-systems by a suitable standard communication system.

➢ Transportation layer: This layer comprises all current and future physical
transportation networks, travellers, vehicles and operating centers.

➢ Institutional layer: This layer comprises inter-relationships of all levels of the

government and private agencies within a jurisdictional boundary, which play a role
within the framework to standardisation, policy and funding.
Layered Structure of ITS Architecture The proposed city topographic map with
transportation networks is geo-referenced and à GIS digital map is prepared by adding
attributes such as infrastructure/facility features, as a layered system

Enterprise view: Relationships between organisations by considering policies, funding,

working arrangements and jurisdictional structure that support implementers with their defined
roles.
Functional view: Logical interactions between functions that focus on engineering concerns
of how these functions are implemented.
Physical view: Communications between physical objects (centres. field units, support system,
personal and public vehicles)
Communications view: Layered protocols facilitating data exchange between physical objects
(source and destinations as defined in physical view)

THE PROCESS FOR MODEL ITS-DEPLOYMENT

The process for ITS deployment can be realized through three main steps
1. Preliminary implementation plan: The first step is started with the willingness of the
concerned government officials to plan for ITS deployment. A review of literature on
successful ITS architectures in different countries is carried out and vision, goal, objectives and

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strategies are set, based on the native socio-economic conditions and the available
infrastructural facilities.

2. Model components of ITS-architecture: The set goals towards achieving the vision are
focused upon by identifying current and future problems of transportation. The problems with
intermodal operations are also discussed with all stake holders-administrators, users, operators
and technical experts by brainstorming, the required lTS-based services are identified, selected
and linked with their common resources. A blueprint of service components relating to the
transport problems are built as national/regional/state/urban/rural models of ITS- architecture
and the same is used for ITS deployment.

3. ITS deployment and operation: A feasibility study is conducted based on the adoption of
the best systematic process for the design of the ITS elements and their integrated services
using various inter operable technologies. Appropriate methods of economic analysis, such as
cost-benefit ratio, may be conducted to justify the design option derived from various
alternative devices/ sensors/communications. An independent body on behalf of the
national/state government may be employed to resolve the standardisation issues and
difficulties in coordinating various organisations related to technical, institutional, financial,
operations and maintenance for the successful development of ITS infrastructure.

The following key aspects are considered critical and essential for successful ITS
deployment.

• Connectivity
• Interoperability
• Expandability
• Interchangeability
• Reliability
The following issues need to be considered in the planning process of ITS deployment
(ESCAP, 2017)

1. Exploration of general principles, rules and dependencies on model ITS-architecture for

uniform practices across the country, which helps in expansion of future services.
2. Identification of communication practices, protocols and standards from other countries
which are suitable to our country/city.
3. Setting up of installation standards and building capabilities of private operators.
4. Identification of organisational structure and the employment of the staff during the process
of planning ITS-architecture and deployment.
5. Consideration of issues, problems and challenges related to the proposed ITS operation,
upgradation and maintenance during the planning stage.
6. Applicability of legal issues related to security and sharing of vehicle/traveller data, in the
context of personal privacy.
7. Availability of existing legal establishments and communication infrastructure tor data
exchange across the country/region.

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Intelligent Transport System Unit-IV

8. Possibility of ITS deployment as joint ventures among neighboring states in the country.

ITS AND SAFETY:

ITS improves transportation safety and mobility, and enhances a country's productivity through
inter operable advanced communication technologies by linking transportation infrastructure
and within vehicles. The following ITS technologies will certainly enhance the safety of the
transportation system.

1. Vehicle to vehicle communication (V2V): The travelling vehicles can share their route
and speed information and coordinate at conflicting zones.
2. Vehicle to road-side-infrastructure (V2X): Exchange traffic/vehicle information and
control the traffic flow.
3. Connected vehicles project: It enables drivers to have 360° awareness of hazards in
real-time, in all situations. This is an in-vehicle warning system through which the
driver is alerted in advance of any critical situations, while merging, the driver's blind
side, and when a vehicle ahead applies brakes suddenly. By V2X, the following drivers
will be alerted. This also provides alert information while entering a school zone, work
zone, incident locations and diversions.
4. Road weather information system: Provides real-time weather information for trip-
planners and gives advance warning to the drivers.
5. Automated vehicles: The vehicle components designed are capable of automated
steering and braking by using on-board sensors electronically connected to the vehicles
travelling and roadside equipment.

ITS: Challenges and issues in India:

India has emerged as one of the last-growing economic corridors in Asia. Traffic and transport
management by ITS is an urgent need and has to be done by integration of advanced
technologies and concepts into mainstream traffic management. A number of prototype ITS
projects have already been introduced in various cities in India by focusing on isolated
deployments such as electronic-toll collection (FASTag), electronic travel booking. parking
information and area- wide signal control and speed enforcement systems. However, there are
only a few lTS applications deployed with limited capabilities, existing without integration
across the transport systems in India.

Even though numerous technologies have been successfully implemented in developed

countries several issues and challenges still exist for successfully implementing ITS-based
systems in India. The issues, challenges and future scope with reference to Indian diverse
conditions are listed below.

➢ Related to infrastructure

➢ Related to technology deployment

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➢ Related to government policies

➢ Related to traffic/driver behaviour

➢ Related to social issues

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