Transport Research and Innovation Portal

Transport Technology

Intelligent transport systems

Research on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) covers a wide field: ITS comprise combinations of communication, computer and control technology developed and applied in transport to improve system performance, transport safety, efficiency, productivity, service, environment, energy, and mobility. ITS can be applied to transport infrastructure – motorways, roads, and bridges – as well as to vehicles, including cars, buses, trucks, and trains. These systems can be used in both passenger and freight transport in improving service quality and transport management.

Innovative technologies

Research projects embrace vehicles, infrastructure, transport organisation or information technology. Covering all transport modes, research on new vehicle technologies targets sustainability, efficiency and safety. Infrastructure technologies include new types of transport infrastructure, such as evacuated tubes, pipelines, MAGLEV and Personal Rapid Transit. Transport organisation includes, for instance, GPS-based fleet tracking and intelligent tour planning, while information technologies include real-time (mobile) information, real-time tracking systems, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

Transport management

Research in this wide-ranging theme involves changing how air, rail, road and waterborne transport systems, particularly the infrastructure, are used. Transport management includes increasing or reducing road capacity, reallocation of capacity, and changes in the operation of public transport. Measures are being developed to influence the use of the car, public transport and freight vehicles as well as non-motorised transport. Transport management also covers micro-level management including optimising transport operation and planning, supply chain management, and fleet management systems.