Dear readers,
I am glad to introduce a novelty in TTS Italia newsletter, that is now followed by many users. From this issue on, we will open the newsletter with an interview to politicians, public administrations actors, researchers or to people well known both in Italy and abroad willing to express their opinion on ITS sector. We think this can represent a simple as well as effective way to start a debate on required strategies for a concrete and harmonized development of technology in transport sector. The first interview has been done to Mr. Guido Improta, Undersecretary of the Ministry for Infrastructure and Transport with proxy for ITS in Italy.

Enjoy!

Rossella Panero
President

Improta: “Soon a National ITS plan shared by operators”

Undersecretary Improta, Italy must send to Brussels the National ITS Plan within 27 August. Can you anticipate how the Ministry is focusing on such an important job?
In order to be able to have a national plan that is not only a planning document, but an effective three-year plan for growth and development of this sector, the Ministry has begun months ago a series of meetings with stakeholders of the system, so to draw up a plan which everyone feels part in. The date of 27 February 2012 for the transposition of the EU Directive on ITS has been postponed. When do you think the decree of adoption will be ready? Could you anticipate some content? The decree is ready by now, but, for endorsement, we must first wait for the OK to the Community Act 2011 from Parliament including, among other things, the transposition of Directive 2010/40. As I am aware of the strategic importance of this project, I did all I could to fill the gap created by the previous management policies. Regarding content, I can tell you that we have covered many areas of applications important to the sector.

Which indication do you feel like giving to companies operating in this sector?
Of course, my indication is to follow closely the work we are doing, giving us confidence, but being always ready to support us if we fail to full transcribe in rule the true needs of the Italian system. The working groups of the Ministry and me will try in all ways permitted by the shortness of time and the large number of activities to be carried out to include as much as possible the inputs from each player in the system. We are building a route that we very much hope to give impetus to the Italian companies of ITS, supporting a strong domestic market, global challenges to overcome, thanks also to the Italian forces of technological innovation and design.

The Italian transport system suffers from inefficiency that , according to an estimate of the Plan of logistics, cost the country 40 billion euros. Do you think that a greater diffusion of technology would alleviate, even in the short term, such a complex situation?
Not only do I believe, indeed I firmly believe the statement you made. Shortly after I took office at the Ministry I moved decisively to achieve or accomplish some projects able to create a strong network of logistics SMART NODES on the territory and to increase the efficiency of Italy. In this context, I am pleased to share an important result of the Ministry: the relaunching of the national logistics platform UIRNET to be carried out in the coming weeks and making available for all the national operators its five macroservices. All the operators interested in this first phase, ca directly contact UIRNET.

Finally, do you think that the Ministry can support international policies able to support the results, models and excellence in the field of Italian ITS? How these models can be further enhanced and made available also for national realities in which ITS have not yet been developed or are limited?
The Ministry has an important responsibility of vision, address and rationalization. Due to this, the Minsitry need to create a strong interplay between Italian companies at different levels of development and realize the technology platform allowing our models and our excellence an international development. I am personally trying to identify a coherent and effective regulatory framework but especially new European funding, noticing a great undertaking to this effect by Commissioner Kallas.

Who is Guido Improta. The Undersecretary of the Ministry for Infrastructure and Transport was born in Naples in 1966. With a egree in Political Science, has already worked in '95 with the Dini government in 2007 and later with the second Prodi government. After various experiences in the Italian Touring Club and the company to promote tourism in Rome, in 2006, works in Alitalia developing relationships with local authorities and in 2011 he was appointed Head of the relations with the territory and Pa.

TTS in action

Seminar on "Opportunities and challenges of ITS for insurance for private transport" – July 18, 2012 - Rome
For the next 18 July, TTS Italia is organizing a Seminar on "Opportunities and challenges of ITS for insurance for the private transport". The aim of the meeting is to discuss and explore the needs, problems and opportunities in the sector, involving both companies offering such services, and insurance companies and institutions involved in the process, especially in light of the fact that this area is been addressed in the decree "Save Italy". The Seminar will provide a significant contribution to the drafting of the National ITS Action Plan, which TTS Italia is coordinating in collaboration with the associations of various sectors of the national transport for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

TTS Italia at the second edition of Magna Charta conference
On the 26 and 27 June, TTS Italia took part at the second edition of the Magna Charta conference focused on innovative solution for electronic ticketing. The conference has also been an occasion to present the contribution of the public transport sector to the definition of the National ITS Action Plan as required by the European Commission. TTS Italia has been represented by its President, Rossella Panero, who took part to the round table focused on present and future ITS initiatives and by the Chairman of the Technical-Scientific Committee, Massimiliano Zazza with a speech on the ITS Directive. In addition, the Secretary General of TTS Italia, Olga Landolfi, moderated the session on systems for the planning and management of public transport.

TTS Italia study on "The impact of ITS for CO2 reduction" on Repubblica.it
The study published on 2010 by TTS Italia on “The impact of ITS for CO2 reduction” has been mentioned on the article published on June, 20 on Repubblica.it "Il navigatore distrae troppo. Attenzione ai nuovi pericoli”. The article especially refers to benefits from ITS for traffic, pollution and costs reduction.
For the article, click here
For the study, click here

News of the month

5T and GTT lauch new app for the public transport in Turin
5T, TTS Italia ordinary member, and GTT have launched the new application “GTT Mobile” for smartphone and tablet dedicated to the public transport in Turin. The application, available for Android and iOS, offers real time information to users on public transport: route planning, busses time table, busses stop localization, Turin map. The application is available both in Italian and English.
Source: Clickmobility

euroFOT study demonstrates how driver assistance systems can increase safety and fuel efficiency across Europe
The euroFOT consortium, of which Centro Ricerche Fiat and Politecnico di Torino, TTS Italia ordinary members, are part, has published the results of a four years study looking at existing technologies and their potential to both enhance safety and reduce environmental impact. euroFOT also revealed important ties between these systems and improvements in driver behaviour, fuel efficiency and traffic safety, as well as overall cost savings. Over 90% of accidents throughout the European Union are attributable in some way to driver behaviour. Driver Assistance technologies such as those tested in euroFOT may have a positive effect on driver behaviour and improving our understanding of their potential to impact road safety, traffic efficiency and the environment is at the heart of the euroFOT project. For over twelve months, one thousand cars and trucks equipped with advanced driver assistance systems travelled European roads, and, for most of them, at each turn, acceleration, and lane change, their movements were tracked and recorded. The field test focused on eight distinct vehicle functions that assist drivers in detecting hazards and avoiding accidents: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Speed Regulation System (SRS), Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Curve Speed Warning (CSW), safe human/machine interface and Fuel Efficiency Advisor (FEA). More than one hundred terabytes of data were collected and analysed, providing the basis for the euroFOT consortium to assess the impact of these systems on our roads. If widely deployed across the EU, the systems studied by euroFOT could potentially reduce accidents and fuel consumption with an annual savings of approximately 1.2 billion EUR (passenger cars) and approximately 180 million EUR for heavy goods trucks.
For the press release, click here For the summary of the study, click here Source: euroFOT

FAI Service partner of the new Transpotec Logitec edition
FAI Service, TTS Italia ordinary member, will be partner of the new edition of Transpotec Logitec, focused on integrated logistics for transport to be held on 28 February – 3 March 2013 in Verona. The event is based on matching and speed dating between seller and buyer with a special attention to internationalization and to developing countries such as the ones within the Balcan and Mediterranean areas. In addition, FAI Service, in 2013 will celebrate 50 years of activity and will organize a special event during the Transpotec Logitec edition.
Source: Trasportale

MAIOR services for public transport
M.A.I.O.R., company operating in the field of computerized planning, regulation and management of TPL services, and TTS Italia ordinary member, collaborates with TRT Trasporti e Territorio: starting from the process involving the local public transport, especially in light of the recent provisions of the Government, M.A.I.O.R and TRT share their know-how to offer integrated packages and individual services according to specific market needs of Tpl.
For further information,
download the brochure
Source: M.A.I.O.R.

Project Automation wins tender for speed detection systems
Project Automation, TTS Italia ordinary member, has won the tender issued by the Municipality of Fontanaviva (North Italy) for the hiring service of 3 systems for speed detection.
Source: TTS Italia

Products of the month

Axis Communications: Centralized surveillance in real time

A revolution is going on within the security industry – the shift from analog to digital technology. It brings new, valuable possibilities to increase actual and perceived security within public transportation systems. Already today, several station owners and transit authorities benefit from high-resolution surveillance video, automatic security alerts and centralized security systems.

More...
For further information: www.axis.com
For contacts: pietro.tonussi@axis.com

STREET©: the software by Enea for real-time traffic analysis and short-term forecasts of traffic evolution

STREET© is a software tool developed by ENEA within the “PEGASUS” project supported by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development under the technology innovation programme “Industria 2015”. STREET© is designed to perform real-time traffic analysis and short-term forecasts of traffic evolution (between 15 and 60 minutes) starting from current and near past measurements/estimates coming from fixed traffic sensors and floating car data (FCD) systems.

More...
For contacts: gaetano.valenti@enea.it

Save the date

7° International Conference on Systems of Systems Engineering (SoSE)
16-19 July 2012, Genova
For further information, click here

Information Days on Transport Research-Infodays 2012
18-19 July 2012, Brussels, Belgium
For further information, click here

ITS relevant tenders in Italy

I-Campi Salentina: Systems for road violations detection
I-Parabita: Parking areas management
I-Parma: Digital Cartography services

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