Synopsis
Smart transport systems or intelligent transport systems encompass a range of wireless and wired communications-based information technologies that can be integrated into transportation infrastructure and vehicles.
Current intelligent transport systems technologies use dedicated short-range communications to transfer data over short distances between in-vehicle mobile radio units and roadside units, ie fixed point-to-point services. Arrangements to facilitate the use of intelligent transport systems have been developed internationally in the 5850-5925MHz band (the 5.9GHz band). However, ACMA still classified this as a medium priority for finalisation. Still waiting on international standards has made progress rather slow.
Smart infrastructure is also looked at in the context of the National Broadband Network, the aim of which is to provide the basic telecommunication infrastructure for a range of sectors, including transport. Special access is provided in the NBN Bill for utilities. With a carbon tax in place, smart transport systems may be able to reduce the carbon footprint and energy use across many of the transport industries, while also lowering GHG emissions. The government at that time also announced its Managed Motorways project.
International evidence indicates that a new generation of electric vehicles, known as smart cars will start flooding the market in coming years. They are marketed like smartphones, aimed to become the have-to-have cars. Currently the infrastructure to facilitate this development is not in place. There are no charging stations, but also the electricity grid is incapable of handling any volume of smart cars. More coordinated smart infrastructure policies are required in order to make this happening.
Companies covered in this report include:
Toyota, University of Wollongong, RailCorp, Ergon Energy, CityLink, epay, miky, Oyster, Mitsubishi Motor Corporation, SP AusNet, GM Volt, Better Place, Portus, ChargePoint, Downer EDI.
Technologies mentioned in this report include:
electric (EV), smart cars, Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PHEV), Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V), dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), Vehicle to Grid (V2G), automatic train protection (ATP), smart card ticketing.
