ITS Community met at 2015 ITS World Congress in Bordeaux (5.-9.10.2015)

Bordeaux, 09.10.2015 –  STRATUM Traffic Engineering GmbH has been presented on ITS World Congress 2015 on the group Stand of Advantage Austria.

Advantage Austria Group Stand at 2015 ITS World Congress

ITS World Congress_Austrian Stand Reception

This event has covered many topics by speakers, as well as exhibitors. One of the most important future topics of smart traffic will be the collection of traffic related “BIG DATA” and the transformation towards “real time information” for operators, road traffic technologies and travelers. Limited capacities of existing road infrastructure and increasing population especially within metropolitan areas further require smart and intermodal transport solutions.

Small bus driving autonomously

During the congress, autonomous small buses have been circulating around the exhibition venue with passengers. This shows that applied V2X communication becomes reality.

(from left: David Seisun, Libor Sušil, Alex Borg and Christoph Demuth)

The ITS Organization from Malta, “ITSMALTA” and Vienna based Regional ITS Organization “CONNECT-South-East” announced closer cooperation. The Members of the board of both organizations including Alex Borg, David Seisun, Prof. Georg Hauger and Christoph Demuth have met at the Austrian stand.
Furthermore Alex Borg, David Seisun and Libor Sušil, Business Development Manager of Road Traffic Technology, specialist at CROSS Zlin together with Birgit Kuhn, Managing Director of ANDATA GmbH have been discussing various traffic issues occurring in the island of Malta, such as suffering from increase in traffic and population, where people need even up to 2 hours getting to work each day.

(from left: Birgit Kuhn Managing Director of ANDATA GmbH, David Seisun and Alex Borg of ITSMALTA)

This year’s host of ITS World Congress, city of Bordeaux, had a population of approximately 241,000 inhabitants, whereas the metropolitan region had a population of almost 737,500 inhabitants. The historic city center with its beautiful buildings also consists of many narrow roads. However it has been managed to implement intermodal traffic by city bikes, dense network of public transport, parking facilities etc. Especially the tramway, which directly connects train station with city center and even the exhibition venue, is a good example how modern technologies can be integrated within historic environment. Thus the “Bordeaux Tram” has two different sources of power supply. Within historic city center it uses inductive loops in the ground and outside the city center it uses standard overhead line. The modern ticketing system enables travelers to use even smartphone apps for identification and/or payment. Thus participants of ITS World Congress could use a barcode from the App to use public transport during the Congress.

Inductive loops for power supply of Bordeaux Tram at Quinconces Station

Ticketing Machine and map of Bordeaux Tramway at Station

Combined ticket validator for convention stamping and barcode reading / wireless communication

Bordeaux Tram at Quinconces Station and information screens

However, similar to other metropolitan areas even Bordeaux faces its boundaries in capacities of its public transport network. Travelers are stored like animals within the Tram, which raises the question why in case of special events, such as congresses, trade shows and or soccer games etc. public transport operator does not have a dynamic “special schedule” by shorter intervals. During 2015 ITS World Congress during 08:30 and 10:00 o’clock when most delegates travelled from the city Center to the Exhibition hall every 2nd tram died not have final destination at the Exhibition Hall. Maybe the information flow between City, Public Transport Operator and Organize of an Event has some room for improvement.

Bordeaux Tramway overhead line

Bordeaux Tram Station with Wood Floor

However talking about “smart cities” it is rather interesting that internet connection at the exhibition venue as well as within the city and the hotels has been rather weak. This applied for WLAN as well as 3G connections.