The European Parliament and Council have agreed on new rules for intelligent transport systems that require more traffic data, such as on speed limits, to be available digitally.
They say the provisional agreement on ITS rules will help digitalise the transport sector and ensure that data between mobility apps will be shared more widely in order to make mobility safer, more efficient and sustainable.
During the negotiations, MEPs supported covering more services, such as multimodal information, booking and ticketing services, communication between cars and infrastructure, and automated mobility.
In addition to speed limits, road closures or roadworks, data on one-way streets in cities, traffic weight, length, width and height restrictions as well as conditions for circulation in regulated traffic zones will be included in a national database to be shared between EU countries, businesses and consumers.
Depending on the type of data, the deadline to make new information available digitally ranges from between the end of 2025 and the end of 2028.
The rules state deployment of ITS services will have to be technologically neutral, “to foster interoperability, not discriminate against vulnerable road users and must ensure transparency of ranking, including on environmental effects, when proposing mobility options to customers”.
In order to organise cross-border transport smoothly, EU member states will have to cooperate better when deploying ITS services, in particular on cross-border projects.
EP rapporteur Rovana Plumb said: “The deal will contribute to citizens’ safety on the road, will improve transport networks’ performance and services, whilst fostering connectivity and facilitating cooperation. Parliament secured an ambitious geographical scope and timeline for the data and services provided. By having deadlines for most types of data, we initiate a process that will speed up the deployment of intelligent transport systems and ensure that authorities at all levels start preparing for the new digital environment.”
The informal deal still needs to be approved by Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee and the Council’s Committee of Permanent Representatives, and then the Parliament and Council as a whole.
(Picture – Yay Images)
