ABOUT ITS ARCHITECTURE

OVERVIEW     

WHO NEEDS ITS ARCHITECTURES?   

HOW CAN THEY HELP?   

RISKS   

BROCHURE  "A Guide to ITS Architecture"    

Overview

The purpose of an ITS ARCHITECTURE is to provide guidelines for the planning, design or implementation of an ITS application. ITS architectures come in very different forms and levels. They range from specific structures, such as the layout of a communication system or the design principles for an individual ITS element, to high-level concepts representing the underlying framework of a whole project.

The growing use of advanced telematic technologies in modern transport systems, their increasing complexity and the importance of ensuring integration and interoperability between systems, is making high level 'Framework' or 'System Architectures' more and more necessary.

A Framework Architecture provides strategic guidelines, and will cover not only the technical elements, but also organisational, legal and business aspects. 

 

A modern transport system is likely to include a growing number of ITS systems. An Architecture provides a systematic mechanism for ensuring the systems can be fully integrated and for understanding the needs of all those involved.

The European ITS Framework Architecture is a high level architecture. It has been designed to serve as a tool for the creation of national, local or sectoral architectures, which in turn provide a basis for planning ITS projects and applications. The Framework Architecture is technology independent, and predominantly covers road-based ITS. 

Who needs to know about architectures?

• Ministry officials involved in transport policy decisions

• local or city transport authorities

• companies developing ITS products or services

• public transport service operators

• directors of freight operations

You may be responsible for national transport policy or the implementation of a traffic scheme for a city or region. Or perhaps you are in business and developing a system to provide travellers with information, or to improve traffic management in a city centre. It is increasingly likely that you will wish to incorporate Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to help you achieve your objectives.

So why do you need to know about ITS architectures?

You will need to carefully weigh all the pros and cons of your ideas. You want to be sure that your ITS will be affordable, have a good business case, that it will produce the results you require, and that it will be acceptable to your users. Other aspirations might include easy (and inexpensive) maintenance, the possibility of extending the system at a later date, or of linking up in the future with other transport systems, possibly in another region or across national borders.

How can an architecture help?

By providing an underlying structure and guidelines, an architecture ensures that the system:

 is planned more logically
 will meet the desired performance levels
 will be easy to manage and maintain
 can be easily extended at a later date

An Architecture is also a valuable tool for arriving at a common understanding between the different parties involved in an ITS scheme: local authorities, service providers, transport operators, etc. By clarifying their requirements, it facilitates communication between them and effective planning.

Risks

"TECHNOLOGY ISLANDS" resulting from 'stand alone' systems and no architecture. They can result in :   need for later adaptations   limits to ITS services provided   full potential not developed   higher long term costs

Without an ITS Architecture there is a risk of creating "TECHNOLOGY ISLANDS". These may function well as individual systems, but will reveal long term limitations when it is decided to expand and integrate them.

Brochures

20-page colour brochure (PDF 765 KB)
"Planning a Modern Transport System: A Guide to Intelligent Transport System Architecture" - why you need one and how to create it.

1-page Flier (PDF 193KB)
"Why you need an ITS Architecture"
 

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