“European ITS Communication Architecture” published by COMeSafety

Sources: www.esafetysupport.org

COMeSafety has published a comprehensive document, which sets out “a baseline for a European ITS communications architecture for co-operative systems”.  It gives an overview of the different communication technologies involved and the scope of various co-operative systems projects, as well as going into further depth on architecture and implementation issues.

The COMeSafety Project supports the eSafety Forum with respect to all issues related to vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications as the basis for co-operative intelligent road transport systems. The document aims to “enable and facilitate the conceptualisation and specification of flexible, interoperable co-operative traffic and safety solutions based on agreed standards”, and comprises three parts:

o        Architecture – architectural aspects in a high level and general way

o        Technology – communication technology in use and their specific use for the addressed application scenarios

o        Implementation – implemented prototypes and a first common demonstration of particular projects involved

Chapter 8 gives an overview and clear explanation of the various communication access technologies and issues:

o        Short Range and Ad-Hoc - CEN DSRC 5.8 GHz, European 5.9 GHz ITS, WLAN 5 GHz, Infrared

o        Cellular - WiFi, WiMAX, GSM/GPRS, UMTS

o        Digital Broadcast - DAB and DMB, DVB-T and DVB-H, GPS

o        Carrier Performance Summary

o        ITS Spectrum

Other topics that are covered include CALM, TPEG and security issues.

The report has been developed as a joint effort together with the EC funded projects COOPERS, CVIS and SAFESPOT and in cooperation with the Car2Car Communication Consortium, ETSI, IETF and ISO and with input from IEEE and SAE. It will provide a basis for complementary work that will be done in liaison with the EC funded project PRE-DRIVE C2X to further prepare and support implementation and exploitation.

The document was published on 22nd October 2008, however as the development of a European ITS communications architecture for co-operative systems is an ongoing process, the document will be continuously adapted and updated. It can be downloaded here.

ITS Radar International will monitor developments

Keywords: Architecture, Communications, Cooperative vehicle systems, Project, Safety, Standard