ITS in Copenhagen
September 2018
We were present at the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congres 2018 in Copenhagen. Consultant Kees den Hollander worked with Copenhagen City Council stressed in a Danish language-magazine (promoting the congress and locally distributed with 190 000 copies) how Intelligent Transport Systems will reshape lives for millions of people. His full vision is available in English below:
How can intelligent transport systems (ITS) contribute to creating green, healthy and liveable cities?
Copenhagen is showing how ITS can be applied to support the transition towards zero emissions. To be able to achieve this, innovative technologies are much needed. ITS can provide the framework to bring these elements together, facilitating more effective use of existing infrastructure and supporting positive changes in human behaviour. Creating sustainable journey routines is not only essential to individual physical and mental health, but also to the health of citizens in a city as a whole.
How will driverless technologies change big cities in the future?
Modern big cities require mass transit, with many people making similar journeys. Driverless and cooperative technologies will open up further opportunities to increase the capacity of existing infrastructure and optimize traffic flows. It will allow infrastructure investments to be used efficiently, minimising factors of human error and distraction. It will also revolutionise people’s daily routines, where currently lots of time is still spent (or wasted!) behind the steering wheel.
What technologies within ITS do you believe will be the most eye catching at the ITS World Congress 2018 in Copenhagen?
Copenhagen’s brand-new traffic management center in Trafiktårnet shows how modern technology can help to improve traffic and reduce emissions for citizens. The C-Mobile and NordicWay C-ITS interoperability deployments demonstrate supplier-independent communication between vehicles and infrastructure. Copenhagen’s approach to applying this technology for bicycles is world-class. Lastly, the MinRejseplan app is a showcase of modern technology helping to improve daily life for citizens of Copenhagen.
