future of mobility solutions in sight? · pdf filesolutions in sight? future of mobility...

Solutions in sight?Solutions in sight?

Future of mobility

Congestion as an economic factor

Buried billions

Networked mobility

No barriers to mobility

Editorial

4 The future of mobilityTomorrow to fresh woods ...

8 Congestion as an economic factorBuried billions

Focus

10 Deutsches TelematikforumSky-high prospects

11 Mobile navigationRoutes to the boom

Trends & Events

12 Evolution in navigationLiving routes

12 Interview with Dr. HansHubschneider“A new era begins”

15 ITS MunichMobility Bavarian style

Partners & Projects

Dear Reader,

“I’m hungry ... I’m thirsty ... I need to go to the bathroom … how long till we are there?”

Seems familiar, doesn’t it? A holiday trip with the whole family by car is something to talk

about – or rather not: more stop than go on hopelessly congested motorways, exasperated

cursing in different languages right and left, and whining offspring on the rear bench.

The daily traffic jam during morning rush hour might look almost appealing in comparison,

to a cynic at least. And even optimists cannot see a silver beach on the horizon because

no cure-all has yet been found against periodic traffic gridlocks.

But at least, there seems to be a start. A few weeks ago, the “Ruhrpilot,” Europe’s most

comprehensive traffic management system, went online. This system is breaking new

ground, in particular because of its intermodality. The Ruhrpilot provides reliable,

complete information on the traffic situation in the entire Ruhr region, rail traffic and

parking facilities included.

its magazine: 2/20062

Content

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18 Quality management intransportationOn the way to improvement

20 SITRAFFIC MOTION MXThe perfect wave

Know-how & Research

21 Relax en routeA choir of angels

22 Networked mobilityNo barriers to mobility

Mobility & Living Space

16 Shortcuts

25 Trendspots

26 ProfileAxel Schultz

28 Forum Imprint

Rubrics

However, even the best intermodal information system can only gua-

rantee more mobility if we also “get a move on” in terms of attitude.

Modal split is no magic formula, modal split is the intelligent use of

different means of transport for a given route. And this modern way of

traveling requires not only up-to-date, dynamic and multimedia-based

information; it presupposes first and foremost the willingness to use it.

Are you fit for system hopping? For me personally, it works quite well

already, especially now during the summer months: a lot of bike, a bit of car, and now and then the

suburban train, mainly in the evening on my way to and from the beer garden.

its magazine: 2/2006 3

15

22

Kind regards,

Dr. Michael Ostertag

Tomorrow

Focus


The future of mobility

Twilight hour for our mobile society ..., prompting the burning question: is the sun rising or setting on mobility?

to fresh woods …… and pastures new. A pleasant thought, but as far as mobility for future generations is con-

cerned, this is only a limited option. Even if the will existed to keep building, it would be

impossible to provide enough roads and railways to satisfy the demands of the world’s vast

fleet of vehicles. But as the forecasts become gloomier, a ray of light is appearing on the

technological horizon: modern traffic management systems such as the “Ruhrpilot” can help

prevent global gridlock.

Focus


Happily our mobility quotient is notsimply obtained by dividing the num-ber of vehicles by the available routekilometers. To take account of all therelevant parameters, 80 experts fromscience and industry recently tookpart in more than 20 sessions overseveral days, during which they devel-oped a range of scenarios and fore-casts concerning passenger andfreight traffic in Germany in the year2025. One of the core messages toemerge from the study, entitled“Mobility of the future” and sponsoredby the Institut für Mobilitätsforschung(ifmo), was “Our approach to mobilityis becoming more pragmatic.”

In other words, in future Germanswill more and more often choose themost suitable means of transport fora given route – regardless of whetherthey are traveling by road, rail or air.Public transport, the rail system and

Cassandra herself could not haveput it more dramatically: choosebetween “total chaos”, “impend-

ing collapse”, “imminent disaster” orsimply “tomorrow’s world at a stand-still”. Realists are busy working to create a more balanced picture. Intheir view, our mobile society is on theverge of a “blue hour”, a twilight timethat might be morning half-light just as well as evening dusk. Whichprompts the burning question: is thesun rising or setting on mobility?

As long as we’re still moving, whereare we heading? A few figures clearlyshow the blind alley that we have man-euvered ourselves into. With the birthof the Earth’s six billionth citizen atthe start of the new millennium, theplanet’s population had grown byabout 130 per cent since 1950. In thesame period of time, the world’s fleetof cars had multiplied to nearly 600

million, an increase of over 1,000 per-cent.

In Europe alone, the stock is grow-ing by three million vehicles per year.In Germany, there will be one car forevery citizen – newborn and great-grandmother alike – by 2020. On whichstreets this colossal fleet will be driv-ing becomes even less clear when werecognize that, in the high-wageeconomies of Central Europe, the costof a single kilometer of freeway ex-ceeds €10 million. This view of thefuture of our transport sector is apt toprovoke a sense of despondency.

In Germany there willbe one car for everycitizen – newborn andgreat-grandmother alike – by 2020

Continued on page 6


airlines can therefore all count on ris-ing passenger numbers – but only aslong as their range of products fits thepopular “pile it high, sell it cheap”model. The bargain hunt is on; wit-ness the excitement caused by specialpromotions such as rail tickets sold atsupermarkets, and the success ofRyanair and other low-price airlines.The study logically expanded its exa-mination of the budget market to cov-er bus and even automobile journeys.

So much for the good news, butnow for the bad. According to theexperts, the cost of individual mobil-ity is going to rise. In contrast withthe repeated claims of the currentGerman Federal Minister of Trans-port, the freeway toll is a sword ofDamocles hanging by a single thread,and there’s hardly a single specialistwho now believes that thread to lastfor ever. Usage fees will fall due assoon as the rising cost pressuresforce the State to put parts of thehighway infrastructure into thehands of private management com-panies.

Although individuals generally cuttheir cloth to suit their circumstances,there is a point of view that predictsbenefits if the price of road mobilityrises. This will not only bring keener

competition with other means oftransport but also a better networkingof the various transport systems,which in turn can ensure that theavailable infrastructure is used in amore targeted and efficient fashion.So this is the spirit in which ifmo headWalter Hell offers his optimistic call toarms: “In 2025, traffic will still bemoving – but we have to throw theswitch right now.”

What will this improved networkinglook like in the cold light of day? Howwill a commuter in his suburban jamknow whether it is worth seeking adetour today? How will he know that,with his current 20-minute delay, hewill just be able to catch that intercitytrain at its next stop? And who willsave him the unavoidable urbanodyssey in search of a parking space?

A host of questions – a single ans-wer: modern traffic management sys-tems are ushering in a new era ofmobility. They deliver detailed real-time information about the state ofaffairs on the roads and the rails. Thisis not only a bonus for travelers butalso for municipal authorities. Theone group will arrive at their destina-tion quicker and in more comfort,while the other has the chance tomake timely and targeted interven-tions in the traffic situation.

This whole mechanism and its nutsand bolts are made evident by theRuhrpilot project. At the very start ofthe Soccer World Cup 2006, thisintermodal traffic information andmanagement system for the Ruhrregion came on stream.

The goals were ambitious:• effective exploitation of road and

rail capacity,• optimum connections between

automobiles, buses and the railsystem,

• increased mobility throughout the Ruhr region.

A glance at the internal workings ofthe Ruhrpilot shows the elaboratedata logistics that is now enabling thebrave new world of intermodal mobil-ity. Not only do thousands of station-ary traffic measuring stations buildup an up-to-date picture of trafficconcentration, but buses and trainsrelay their journey times and posi-tions continuously to the system. Thisis complemented by informationabout car park occupancy, the weath-er, road conditions and accidents,where appropriate. Large-scale eventssuch as trade fairs, city festivals andlocal derby matches all play a part.

From this heterogeneous mix ofdata the “Ruhrpilot” control center inEssen calculates rapid updates on theoverall traffic situation for the entireRuhr region and relays it to its cus-tomers – by radio, mobile phone orPDA to travelers, as data sets to com-panies, and online to the traffic con-trol centers of transport service sup-

In 2025, traffic will stillbe moving – but wehave to throw the switchright now

“Ruhrpilot” even forecasts traffic deve-lopment with an 80 percent accuracy rate

Glowing model: the Ruhr region, identifiable on the heat image as Europe’s third largest conurbation, can now count on an advanced traffic management system

Focus

Continued from page 5


pliers and municipal authorities. Spe-cial simulation software integratedinto the Ruhrpilot system even allowsit to forecast developments in the traf-fic situation up to one hour ahead, andwith an accuracy rate of 80 percent.

But the Ruhrpilot’s genius is notonly technical – it is organizationaltoo. Isolated solutions such as parkingguidance systems, transport authori-ty traffic control centers and munici-pal traffic control computers have cer-

tainly existed in the past, but theyhave never exchanged data betweeneach other. Obviously, the successfulnetworking of all the relevant infor-mation concerning every means oftransport has only been possible be-cause the units involved have all actedin concert. District and city authoritieswere all involved, as were the regionaltransport authorities and privatefirms such as Siemens AG and DDGGesellschaft für Verkehrsdaten.

“Cooperation instead of competitionbetween transport service providers.”For Siemens ITS mastermind Dr. Thomas Stetter, the call for such a holisticapproach is one of the most importantdemands on the road to a mobile fu-ture. Already today, he is absolutelypositive about one trend: “In the comingyears, the requirements in terms of trans-port safety and environmental protec-tion are going to rise just as quickly asthe number of motor vehicles.”

Routing à la carte: fast updates of the complete traffic situationon road and rail

A time to make friends and not to be locked in a traffic jam: theRuhrpilot system made its debut during the Soccer World Cup 2006,helping Germany’s guests from all over the world to find their way

The beating heart of mobility: the Ruhrpilot central computer in Essen analyzes enormous amounts of data from a vast array of sources to get traffic moving more smoothly in the region

“Constantly updated, dynamic and intermodal traffic information for faster and safer traveling.” Ludwig Ramachers, Ruhrpilot project manager for Siemens

Public-private partnership: efficient networking is only possible when all units

involved are acting in concert*

* Press conference with (l. to r.) Dr. Wolfgang Reiniger, lord mayor of thecity of Essen, Joachim Möller, Siemens I&S Group Vice President, Oliver

Wittke, Minister of Construction and Transport in North-Rhine West-phalia, and Hanns-Ludwig Brauser, general manger of ProjektRuhr GmbH

“Bad news are good news,” as journa-lists like to say? In general, this view isopen to discussion, but in this specialcase it is certainly true. The only “bad”news at the press conference on theoccasion of the Ruhrpilot inaugurationon May 30, 2006, was arguably the bestnews of the day. From day one, thedemand for up-to-the-minute trafficinformation was so high that the ser-ver of the new portal www.ruhrpilot.dewas temporarily brought to its knees.There could not have been a moreimpressive proof of the high degree of

acceptance enjoyed by the new trafficmanagement system.

And yet, the recently started firstphase of the Ruhrpilot, which suppliesroad and transport system users with areal-time picture of the traffic situa-tion in Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Essenand Bochum, is just the start. After itscompletion in late 2007, the system isgoing to provide complete traffic-rela-ted information on the entire denselypopulated Ruhr region, comprisingthree districts, 11 cities and theiragglomerations.

Pole position start of “Ruhrpilot”

Focus


Business as usual: every day, on an average of 1,000

kilometers of Germany’s roughly 12,000 kilometer

motorway network, traffic comes to a standstill. And

when the automobile becomes a no-go mobile, it is

more than just an involuntary frustration management

session for a few individuals – it is a disaster for the

national economy. Expert estimates put annual losses

at up to €100 billion and appeal to our reason. First we

need to ease the congestion in our minds before the

congestion on the roads can be reduced.

delays must necessarily have enor-mous economic consequences.

Motoring clubs and the automobileindustry have come to an alarmingassessment: every year, a total oftwelve billion liters of diesel andgasoline go up in smoke ineffective-ly, and three billion working hoursare frittered away in Germany’s traf-fic jams. Based on these figures,damage to the German economyexceeds €100 billion, which corres-ponds to more than the entire grossdomestic product of Israel.

And there’s evidence that the de-bits in terms of traffic jam are nolonger being repaid in credits to theroad safety account. A stationary carcannot cause an accident, of course,but on the other hand, besides thedanger of rear-end collisions at theend of tailbacks, motorists areunder increased time pressure afterleaving the traffic jam, which drivesmany of them to adopt a moreaggressive style behind the wheel.

Even though recent investigations

Rembrandt keeps a positive out-look – even when he is staringat someone else’s bumper. As

the man with the painterly pseudo-nym confides to his blog, this is theonly way to observe in peace thosethings that usually go flying past us.Who or what is he thinking of? “Theyoung blonde in the dark blue OpelVectra who shared the tailback withme between Bad Hersfeld andNiederaula.” Rembrandt evidentlylacked the courage to strike up aconversation with his neighbor, sohe is looking forward to a futureopportunity: “Hopefully we’ll getstuck together again soon.”

And he might just be in luck. Sincethe 1970s, traffic on Germany’s motor-ways has almost exactly doubled.Today each kilometer of motorway isused by about 50,000 vehicles everyday. Provided they move, of course.Recent investigations indicate that,on an average of 1,000 kilometers offreeway, progress is impossible atsome point of time every day. At holi-

day times the traffic load is evengreater. Up to 150,000 vehicles perkilometer per day have been counted.

Already for the individual driver,being stuck in traffic can bring a lotof annoyance, which we all haveexperienced more often than wewould have liked. But beyond all themissed rendezvous, dinners twicereheated, and searching questionsfrom our better halves, quite anoth-er dimension opens up. In a societywhere as much as possible is doneon a just-in-time basis, unforeseen

Buried billions

Congestion as an economic factor

In a society where so much is done on a just-in-time basis,unforeseen delaysmust necessarily haveenormous economicconsequences

Focus

concluded that the economic impactof traffic jams was being overesti-mated by up to a factor of ten in theEU, no one seriously doubts that thetime is ripe to tackle this mobilitykiller more rigorously than ever.

Who wants to rid the streets of tail-backs, first needs to understand theircauses. “Eighty per cent of jams arisefrom too many people using the sameroute at the same time,” says MichaelSchreckenberg, Professor for TrafficPhysics at the Duisburg-Essen Uni-versity. “The system breathes in carsand breathes out jams.”

Peter Wagner, Head of the TrafficIT Department at the German Insti-

nizing a jam, but of predicting it. Bymeans of car-to-car communication,automobiles themselves can calcu-late the prevailing traffic situation.All available data is evaluated on-board. The vehicle then transfersthe information to a traffic centerand can warn other automobiles inthe surrounding area. The benefitcomes in the form of an even fasterand more direct information flow.

But as most experts agree, technol-ogy alone will not be able to avert theimpending national traffic gridlock.First we need to ease the congestionin our minds before the congestionon the roads can be reduced. Thechief commandments are thereforefirstly, improved cooperation bet-ween all transport service providers– road, rail and air alike – and sec-ondly, a much greater readiness onthe part of transport system users toembrace intermodal journeys. This isthe only way to guarantee that anation on the move does not becomea nation at a standstill.


tute of Aeronautics and Space, triesto explain the congestion phenome-non using a pithy comparison fromparticle physics. “As long as there isadequate room, masses move rela-tively freely – cars as well as gasmolecules. But the more I raise thepressure, the slower their flow untilfinally they freeze up entirely.”

The avalanche of steel long agospawned a new science – congestionresearch. At first the unreliability oftraffic forecasts used to be a majorsource of headaches. But lately veryprecise results have become possi-ble, with so-called floating car data(FCD) and car-to-car communicationproviding the basis for calculationsand response.

Today, in the framework of FDCsystems, positional data and travel-ing times are transferred from vehi-cles to a traffic center, where thedata is compared with incominginformation from other FloatingCars and additional traffic datasources with the aim not of recog-

The avalanche of steelhas spawned a new science – congestionresearch. Precise fore-casts are now possible

“The system breathes in cars and breathes out jams.” Modern science investigatesthe causes that turn our very traffic network into a mobility killer

Focus

Trends & Events


achieved, the sector is still benefitingfrom a strong momentum – in linewith the motto “That was only thestart!”

One reason for this pronouncedoptimism is the new star waiting torise in the sky of ITS. As of 2008, the pan-European satellite systemGALILEO is going to revolutionize nav-igation technology. Experts say that,with the rise of this intelligent satel-lite, the opportunities for ITS aregoing to soar, too, since the possibilityto determine one’s position preciselyand reliably at any spot on earth opensthe way for a whole range of newapplications.

This explains why, already today,GALILEO is the focus of attention inmany important markets around theglobe. For example in China and inIndia, where the challenges of drama-tically escalating mobility needs cre-ate a huge demand for ITS services. Atthe Forum, the welcoming speech of Wolfgang Tiefensee, the German Minis-ter of Transport, gave the participantsa good clue of just how positively theFederal Government assesses thepotential that ITS is offering Germanenterprises: “The successful applica-tion of ITS technologies is one of thedecisive factors for Germany’s futuredevelopment.”

traffic situation in road and rail net-works, issue dynamically calculatedroute recommendations and predicttravel times with high accuracy. Theresulting improvements in traffic flowhave long since become an importantlocation factor. And, in addition,investments in intelligent technolo-gies create a lead market and thus jobswithin the country.

Thus it came as no surprise that the250 participants of the 3rd DeutschesTelematikforum in Berlin were happyto discuss a number of inspiring top-ics. One instance is the robust eco-nomic development of the sector: theglobal market for ITS has reached anannual volume of €27 billion, agrowth of 6 percent over last year.And, despite the high level already

Does it actually exist, the one multifunctional technology thatwill solve all our problems!?

Think of the great expectations whichwere attached to the fledgling disci-pline of intelligent transport systems –or simply ITS – right from the start:less traffic jams and more mobility,reduced environmental load and high-er safety. Too many hopes, too manydreams?

Yes and no ... Yes, because even ITScannot simply magic away all ourmobility problems. No, because thisyoung discipline has already got a lotof things moving, in the literal as wellas in the figurative sense.

ITS applications in vehicles andinfrastructure installations providereliable information on the current

Deutsches Telematikforum

Sky-high prospectsStrong momentum under the sign of GALILEO. A central topic at the 3rd Deutsches Telematikforum in Berlin was the start of the European satellite system, scheduled for2008. But even before the ITS sector can watch this new star rise in its sky, the globalmarket for road and rail ITS shows a very welcome dynamism, with an annual volumeof €27 billion and yearly growth rates of 6 percent.

The new star inthe sky of ITS:GALILEO is to takeup operation in2008

“Telematics applications are a decisive factor for Germany’s future development.” Wolfgang Tiefensee, German Minister of Transport

Public-private dialogue: Hessian Minister of TransportAlois Rhiel, ZVEI President and member of Siemens’ Corporate Executive Committee Prof. Dr. Edward G. Krubasik and Siemens engineer Sebastian Althen (l. to r.)


Trends & Events

Go for ever more flexibility: portable and mobile navigation devices are in high demand

Mobile navigation

Routes to the boomLess than twelve years ago, Siemens VDO and the BMW Grouplaunched the first series-produced navigation system. Today, manymillions of drivers rely on their electronic guides. The market trendis clearly towards more flexibility: not only portable systems, butalso mobile phones equipped with navigation features are in high demand.

Last Christmas, portable naviga-tion devices were all the rage.With their triumph at the till,

these miniature electronic super-brains did not only give the industryan additional reason to celebrate,but also information on where themarket is heading. The baseline: gofor ever more flexibility.

In line with this general direction, a new trend is spreading. Mobile na-vigation functionalities turn mobilephones into handheld pathfinders.There are two different ways of feed-ing the phone with the necessaryinformation, either by taking amemory card “on board,” allowingcontinuous access to all data on thecard without creating additional

costs; or “off-board” by downloadingthe desired route from the Internet.

The best of two worldsNo either-or anymore: Siemens VDOhas gone one step further and combin-ed the advantages of both, on-boardand off-board navigation in a new sys-tem from the successful VDO Daytonfamily of products. The special featureof this novel 2-in-1 solution is its flexi-bility. As soon as the user leaves thearea stored on the memory card, thesystem switches to online mode anddownloads the required route informa-tion per mobile communications froma navigation server offering constantlyupdated road maps of a large numberof European countries.

On the same server, the user’s sys-tem can also access current trafficinformation that both navigationmodes can take into account for thecalculation of the optimum route. Thenew navigation service is to be madeavailable, in a first step, for mobilephones equipped with a series-60Symbian operation system. Thismeans that the system can be usedwith most popular SmartPhonesfrom major manufacturers such asBenQ Siemens, Nokia or Samsung.

For more information not only onmobile navigation, but also on thelatest generation of portable ordashboard navigation systems, please click on the respective linksat www.vdodayton.com.

Partners & Projects


If there is one necessary epithet to describe the status quo

as well as the future perspectives of modern navigation

solutions, it is “dynamic.” Navigation devices have not only

enjoyed a record market development, but they are also

extremely dynamic in terms of technical evolution and

actual operation: route calculation is based on more and

more up-to-the-minute information about the current

traffic situation. The next generation of navigation devices

will even be able to learn from experience.

Living routesEvolution in navigation

Thanks to the boom of modernnavigation solutions, drivers “atsea” on an unknown route, ner-

vously approaching each intersectionwhile the front-seat passenger is fran-tically leafing through the road atlas,will soon be nothing but a remotememory. The most recent survey of therenowned German market researchinstitute GfK has shown that currentlyten percent of all German householdsown a navigation system for their car.And, also according to an assessmentby GfK, in 2005 no other productgroup enjoyed higher growth ratesacross the entire German retail marketthan mobile navigation equipment.

Mr. Hubschneider, the field of trafficmanagement is obviously enormouslyinnovative – which will be the nextmilestone to be reached? At the moment, the central target is tocombine all existing options in such away as to create totally new opportu-nities. You see: traffic situation moni-toring, for instance, furnishes up-to-date traffic information; and the mod-eling of mobility behavior provides uswith additional knowledge about thetraffic load of the different transportnetworks. These data plus the infor-mation on infrastructure availabilityon hand can be processed by simula-tion models that will soon be able tofurnish even very short-term prog-noses. Moreover, current traffic dataare the foundation for the adaptationof the traffic model. As soon as we suc-ceed in closing this circle, a new era oftraffic information and managementwill begin.

“A new era begins”Interview with Dr. Hans Hubschneider, Speaker of the Board of Directors of PTV AG

“New technologies are able to transmit more information to the vehicle.” Dr. Hans Hubschneider during the ITS magazine interview

Partners & Projects


The digital pathfinders have al-ready left all growth prognoses farbehind – reality exceeds expecta-tions. The commercial fast track islargely reserved for dynamic systemsthat are able to take informationupdates on traffic flow into accountfor the re-calculation of the optimumroute.

Today’s navigation systems: companions for trips by car or on footOf course, there are good reasons be-hind this phenomenal success. Sincethe invention of satellite navigation,navigation solutions have known arapid and continuous evolution. While

And when will that be? The first subsystems are already avail-able: PTV Validate calculates the aver-age traffic concentrations to be expect-ed on Germany’s entire main highwaynetwork in function of the day of theweek and the time of day. For Ger-many, we are probably going to beable to offer this comprehensive trafficinformation service nationwide by theend of 2006. In parallel, we are in-volved in European projects.

Recently, Europe’s most extensivetraffic management system to datewent into operation in the Ruhrregion. What is PTV’s contribution tothe Ruhrpilot project?Our partner Siemens ITS is the consor-tium leader for the entire project andas such primarily responsible for thecollection and consolidation of all traf-fic data on road traffic. The necessaryinformation platform has been sup-plied and adapted to the requirementsby PTV, and we are now collecting alldata, including those on public trans-port. PTV’s contribution encompassestechnologies for mobility services suchas traffic situation monitoring, roadtraffic prognoses, information on pub-lic transport timetables and current

public network conditions, car parkoccupancy, advice on constructionsites, events, points of interest andweather.

With Siemens ITS, you have morethan one project in common ... Yes, that’s true; we have been cultivat-ing our strategic partnership for manyyears now. Since July 2000, when thefirst services of the Berlin Traffic Man-agement Center went online, our co-operation has even intensified, result-ing in very welcome synergy effects. Thecooperation benefits from Siemens’strengths as system supplier and inte-grator and from our know-how as sup-plier of software components for traf-fic management and of subsystems inthe area of information distribution.

In line with the motto: what’s the use of the best information if it is not accessible to the modern mobilecitizen?Quite right. Today’s generally knownTraffic Message Channel (TMC) allowsthe transmission of relatively coarseinformation only. New technologiespermit the exploitation of precise traf-fic situation information and trafficprognoses. The simplest method is to

calculate the optimum routes in anIntelligent Transport Systems centerand then send the information to thedrivers concerned. One such applica-tion is online navigation via mobilephone or SmartPhone. Moreover, tech-nical options are being developed forthe transmission of significantly moredetailed information directly to the carvia digital broadcasting (DAB or DVB).

Optimum mobility information – anytime and anywhere, before andduring the trip. Is that the vision forthe future?Yes, exactly. This will allow us to makewell informed decisions regarding theuse of different transport modes anddeparture times and – while we are intransit – to find the best route and getaccurate estimates for travel time andtime of arrival. This individualizedbenefit is expected to lead to an opti-mum distribution of the traffic loadacross our traffic infrastructure. Indi-vidual mobility enhances the qualityof life and is an important economicfactor. That’s what we are working for.

Mr. Hubschneider, thank you verymuch for your time and the interestinginsights.

the first generation focused on simpleinstructions to guide the driver across“formerly unknown territory” to hisdestination, second generation navi-gation systems already offer the first

Continued on page 14

Innovations for more efficiency in transport and logistics: PTV AG’s portfolio includes soft-ware and ASP services for trip planning and fleet management

Control is better: PTV employee Sibylle Nussbächer is responsible for traffic information quality assurance


Partners & Projects

Optimum information – anywhere, anytime:navigation per PDA

dynamic route calculation features.They process information on the cur-rent traffic situation along theplanned route and indicate the esti-mated arrival time. If the user wishes,he can request alternative route sug-gestions to bypass traffic obstructions.

Today’s advanced systems aremobile, accompanying the user alsoon the way from the car park to thefinal destination while pointing outplaces of interest en route. Navigationsolutions are available as mobile sys-tems on PDA (Personal Digital Assis-tant) or PND (Personal NavigationDevice); as online services per mobilephone or SmartPhone; and as perma-nently installed devices. The systemguides the driver per voice output,pictograms and three-dimensionalmaps. In addition, it indicates speedlimits on the current route section.

However, depending on the makeand model of the navigation device,the user has to deal with certainshortcomings. The dashboard devicesstill use proprietary operating sys-tems that are not suitable for mobilesystems. The maps used in such solu-tions are rapidly outdated becausethe data DVDs are replaced at longintervals only. The weaknesses ofmobile systems become obvious intunnels and inner cities, or when itcomes to receiving traffic informa-tion. And the users of online naviga-tion services via mobile phone haveto make do with diminutive displays.

Tomorrow’s navigation systems:more information depth and frequentupdatesWhat do users expect from the nextgeneration of navigation systems?Up-to-date maps, complete trafficinformation, optimized route and

travel time calculation, user-friendli-ness and a low purchase price. Basedon its extensive IT and traffic technol-ogy capabilities, PTV AG (see box) iscurrently developing this new servicegeneration: 3D navigation. The newsystems feature flexible digital geo-graphy, dynamically calculated traveltimes and optimized traffic data pro-cessing as well as improved integra-tion of ancillary information.

The new SMA (Scalable Map Archi-tecture) technology allows the user toupdate system data selectively, thusmore flexibly. This means that mapdata can be updated as they are need-ed, including extensive ancillaryinformation, which can be accesseddynamically at the required moment.In the near future, dynamically calcu-lated travel times are going to beavailable for the entire main highwaynetwork. The data base for this func-tionality is a comprehensive trafficmodel integrating demographic data,typical behavior patterns, estimatesof the choice of traffic modes androutes and on traffic concentration.The integration of these data makesit possible to provide, via our PTVRealTimes product, individualizedtravel time estimates for each day ofthe week and time of day.

Navigation and mobility:additional benefits for traffic management The next generation of navigationsystems will offer improved collabo-

ration with mobility and route plan-ning systems – for business, leisureor holiday trips. The Internet and PCroute planners will provide userswith preliminary information ondeparture times, suggested routesand expected duration, thus facilitat-ing the choice between private andpublic travel modes. PTV supportsthis functionality through parallel,coordinated development of Internetand desktop products.

Tomorrow’s navigation technolo-gies require an efficient communica-tion link with the vehicle. At the sametime, this link provides the oppor-tunity – an as yet rarely appliedapproach – to transmit traffic datadirectly from the vehicle to trafficmanagement centers and trafficbroadcast studios. This allows theintegration of constantly updatedinformation on start and arrivalregions, day of the week, time of day,weather conditions and much moreinto the calculation of the furtherroute and of dynamic traffic prog-noses, enabling the traffic manage-ment center to influence road userbehavior more efficiently. The opti-mum exploitation of all traffic dataensures that the variable messagesigns on the motorway and the navi-gation system provide the user withconsistent and coordinated informa-tion. In addition, the navigation sys-tem is able to gather valuable infor-mation that can be re-used during thenext trip – the system is adaptive.

offers software, consulting and research for travel, traffic andtransport planning in the B2B area. With innovative productssuch as map&guide for professional route planning, PTV Visionwith the VISUM module for traffic planning, and PTV Intertour for trip planning in logistics, PTV has been the European market leader for many years now. In its threebusiness fields Traffic, Mobility and Logistics, PTV develops future-oriented conceptsand innovative technologies – for sustained mobility.For more information, go to www.ptv.de

PTV AG


“Individualmobility enhances thequality of lifeand is an impor-tant economicfactor.” Dr. Hans Hubschneider in the lobby ofPTV AG in Karlsruhe

15its magazine: 2/2006

Cooperative trafficmanagement in Munich:even complex plans can be completed successfullywhen the people involvedhave open minds

Only a coincidence or a play withwords? Not at all – the identicalacronyms are perceived as an

additional challenge by Hans-JoachimSchade of Siemens ITS, who was elect-ed to the board of ITS Munich at thelast member meeting. His predeces-sor as treasurer was Dr. BennoZiegler, who came up with the initia-tive of founding the Gesellschaft fürVerkehrstelematik München, ITSMunich, five years ago.

The guiding idea behind ITSMunich was and remains the opendialogue between movers and shakersfrom the most diverse camps imagi-nable. Politicians and administrators,industrialists and researchers all fallunder its scope. Neither electoral tac-tics nor commercial interests are toplay a role or keep members fromstating their ideas freely.

To put it up front, ITS Munich hasno funds to dish out and does notitself carry out any projects. Theorganization has positioned itself as acatalyst for projects for the mainte-nance and promotion of mobility. Itprovides a forum for the long and dif-ficult process of convergence thattakes into account all political, tech-nocratic, industrial and financialpoints of view.

The key objective of ITS Munich isto promote Munich’s concept of coop-erative traffic management. In thisrespect, the association has provenagain and again that even complexplans can be implemented quicklyand efficiently when the peopleinvolved have open minds – free espe-cially from the fear of expressingsomething that might hurt the inter-ests of a certain clientele. Becauseconstructive solutions can only be

arrived at quickly when everyone’sposition is clearly set out.

The first five years of ITS Munichbear witness to the growing impor-tance of this catalyst function intoday’s climate, when more interestgroups – from private and publictransport, through urban and ag-glomeration transport authorities tolarge-scale event organizers andfuture planners – must work hand in

hand to implement mobility projects.This kind of pioneer spirit is quicklyspread by word-of-mouth, not onlybetween cities but across national fron-tiers too. ITS Munich is the only Germanorganization among the foundingmembers of the Network of National ITSAssociations, a network which aims toenable small and medium-sized enter-prises in particular to make the moveonto the international business stage.

Munich may be “only” the capital of Bavaria, but a glance through the members’ list of ITS

Munich provides the proof of the international standing of the Gesellschaft für Verkehrstelematik

(association for Intelligent Transport Systems). The concept is as simple as it is consistent: with-

out reference to day-to-day politics and the constraints of daily business, politicians and profes-

sional administrators engage in discussions on the maintenance and promotion of mobility. The

chairman of the association is Heinz Sodeikat, a former Siemens manager who now works as an

independent consultant for the traffic industry.

Mobility Bavarian styleITS Munich

Partners & Projects

Shortcuts


Budapest

LED technology for traffic lights

Marburg

After no more than six months of construction, thenew parking space management system for eightcar parks with a total of around 1,200 parkingspaces was put into operation at the Marburg loca-tion of the Giessen University Hospital. The system,realized by Siemens I&S ITS as general contractor in cooperation with regional partners, includes aclosed-circuit video system for the surveillance ofparking spaces and pay machines, as well as a digi-tal intercom system for communication with allentry and exit gates and pay machines. A dedicatedparking guidance system displays how many park-ing spaces are still available.

Every year, over 44,000 inpatients and 120,000outpatients are cared for by the 4,000 hospitalemployees of the Philipps University in Marburg.The university’s medical department trains around3,000 students in human medicine, human bio-logy, dentistry and physiotherapy.

Parking madeeasy at universityhospital

Leipzig

Guiding traffic streams, preventing traffic jams – these arethe central objectives of the new traffic systems management(VSM) that started operation on June 1 in Leipzig. The systemwas implemented with the participation of the German Fed-eral Government, the governments of the German states ofSaxony and Saxony-Anhalt, and the city of Leipzig. SiemensIndustrial Solutions & Services (I&S) was responsible for thesupply and installation of the complete outdoor equipment,including traffic detectors, electronic variable message signsand communication devices for the transfer of data to a cen-tral computer.

The VSM, one of the largest of its kind in Germany, pro-vides constantly updated information on the traffic situation

and, in the event of obstructions on individual motorway sec-tions or inner-city streets, leads drivers on alternative routesto their destinations.

Drivers need only follow the electronic direction signs,which have already proved useful in leading Soccer WorldCup visitors to the nearest Park & Ride facilities. The occupan-cy data of these facilities are processed by a central computer.If necessary, variable guidance signs with integrated trafficjam information display, installed on the motorways aroundLeipzig, inform drivers about alternative access routes to the city.

This functionality relies on a multitude of different systemcomponents, for example eight traffic sign gantries at the

New traffic systems manage

Everythingunder con-trol: videosurveillanceof parkinglots

Brilliant outlook: LED technologysaves energy costs for Budapest

Budapest shines in a new light. In cooperation with the Hungariancompany Vilati Kft., Siemens Rt. is equipping traffic lights in Budapestwith the newest 230/40V LED technology, to the benefit of the city’s1.7 million inhabitants. The scope of the project, valued at around€28 million, comprises a total of 33,000 LED inserts for signal headsand 250 controllers, 50 of which will be from the new SiemensC840V series. The consortium has also been contracted to assure themaintenance of the traffic lights for an initial period of eight years.

By upgrading their installations to the innovative LED technology,Hungary’s capital is expecting to achieve substantial savings. The advantages of the LED-based solution over the conventional220V incandescent lamps: substantially lower energy consumptionand minimized maintenance because of the much longer service life of the LEDs.

Shortcuts

Stuttgart (1)

Stuttgart (2)

In Germany, it is the only one of its kind: SIMOS, the newcontrol center for safety and mobility, which was put intooperation in Stuttgart right in time for the Soccer WorldCup. At the official opening, Dr. Werner Schuster, lord may-or of the Swabian capital, presented his own interpretationof the acronym: “S as in safe, I as in innovative, M as inmobile, O as in optimal and S as in swift.”

SIMOS now incorporates several control centers under asingle umbrella system: the Integrated Control Center of theStuttgart Fire Brigade and the German Red Cross, the Inte-grated Traffic Control Center (IVLZ) of the Stuttgart authori-ties for Public Services and Civil Engineering, the Stuttgartpolice headquarters and the public transport providerStuttgarter Straßenbahnen AG, as well as the incident anddisaster control operations and management staff of thestate capital. “The networking resulted in a variety of syner-gy effects,” said Dr. Frank Knödler, the director of the

municipal fire department. “Thanks to SIMOS we arenow in direct contact, enabling us to deploy all rescueunits and task forces with high efficiency. Traffic can beoptimally controlled, especially in the event of accidentsor infrastructure damages.”

SIMOS relies in part on products and know-how from Siemens ITS, for instance traffic management and computer systems from the proven SITRAFFIC family, which are used at the control desks in the IVLZ to implement centrally-controlled traffic man-agement measures.

Unique control center concept

Flowing below instead of stopping above: Stuttgart’s lord mayor Dr. Werner Schuster inaugurates the new tunnel at the Pragsattel

After four years of construction work, Stutt-gart has now officially opened its new 720meter long tunnel at the Pragsattel intersec-tion, one of the city’s traffic hot spots. Everyday, up to 110,000 vehicles are going to passthrough the new subterranean section of theB10 highway, “bringing considerable relief tothe city’s most heavily used intersection,” so

Dr. Werner Schuster, Stuttgart’s lord mayor. Siemens Building Technologies was responsi-

ble for the entire tunnel lighting, including tun-nel entrance and main section luminaries aswell as the lighting control system. In addition,they installed the tunnel control technology,which serves, for instance, for the transmissionof fault alerts to the Stuttgart control center.The variable message signs at the tunnel entrieswere supplied and installed by Siemens ITS.

New tunnel brings relief for busy intersection

SIMOS center:numerous control cen-

ters under one roof

major motorway interchanges. Selected access points are tobe equipped with an additional eight variable guidance signs.A total of 167 measuring stations record data on the prevail-ing traffic situation. In addition, an electronic informationpanel and 64 measuring stations are going to be installed inthe city area. The heart – or hearts – of the system are thetraffic control centers. The Leipzig traffic management centerprocesses the traffic data collected throughout the city area,and the two state centers (in Halle-Peissen for Saxony-Anhaltand in Dresden-Hellerau for Saxony) control the guidancesigns in their respective area of responsibility. In a publicresearch assignment, the Federal Highway Research Instituteis accompanying the project to assess its effectiveness.

ment


Open road: the VSM Leipzig recommends alternativeroutes in case of traffic obstructions

Know-how & Research


In the treasurers’ budgets, expenditures for transport infrastructure are one of the largestcost positions. Nevertheless, federal, state andmunicipal mobility systems operate in less thanoptimum ways in many places. Yet, according toProfessor Dr. Fritz Busch of the Munich TechnicalUniversity, the immense complexity of the task isonly one of the reasons for these shortcomings.The other is the lack of end-to-end quality man-agement.

On the way to Quality management in transportation

Aday like any other in the life ofthe average road user: endlessred phases at deserted subur-

ban intersections; unnecessarily lowspeed limits on empty motorwaysand, for good measure, outdated con-gestions warnings on the radio. Final-ly, in the city, the choice betweennotoriously overcrowded parkingfacilities and delays or unreliable con-nections in public transportation.

The list of shortcomings in ourtransportation systems is long, toolong, and only too often the systemsare far from meeting modern soci-ety’s maximum demand of “mobilityfor everyone, everywhere and at anytime,” which we have come to regardas one of the fundamental pillars ofour economy and our prosperity. Allthis despite the fact that expendituresfor transport infrastructure have longsince become one of the largest costpositions in federal, state and muni-cipal budgets. What is the problem?

One thing is clear: it will not be easyfor the architects of mobility to mas-ter the challenge they are facing. Thecloser we look, the more we realizethe enormous complexity of this mat-ter, with an unbelievable number of

individual tasks to tackle, compo-nents required and players involved.The traffic managers’ task is not madeany easier by the continuous emer-gence of new technical options at evershorter intervals and the constantlyincreased public demands and tight-ened legal regulations.

Most disciplines in thetransport sector are still inneed of better tools andregulations for qualitymanagement

Against this background, the trans-port sector is gradually realizing theimportance of a tool that has longsince become the norm in many otherareas: quality management. Only a correspondingly comprehensive andrigorous use of measures for control-ling and assuring system quality willmake it possible to master the givencomplexity. This will be the only wayof maintaining our infrastructurecost-effectively and attaining the highquality of our traffic systems that westrive for.

High quality – what does this implyin this context? The “appropriate”speed limit, “suitably” short red phas-es, “always” an easy to find free park-ing space? At least for some centralareas of transportation, precise defi-nitions have already been established,for instance the quality levels A to Ffor the design of road traffic facilitiesthat meet all requirements as speci-fied in the German Handbuch für dieBemessung von Verkehrsanlagen(HBS 2005). In public transportation,the DIN EN 18316 standard intro-duced clear and binding rules for thedefinition of transportation proper-ties in the areas of transport logisticsand public transportation services.The quality cycle concept on whichthese regulations are based can beregarded as universally applicableand transferable to other areas.

Other practicable methods, some ofwhich are required by law, are forinstance the regular inspection of thetechnical functions of traffic signalinstallations (TSI) or, if necessary, theuse of special software tools to ana-lyze their quality and efficiency incontrolling traffic. Most disciplines inthe transport sector are still in needof better tools and regulations forquality management.

The quality management has to cov-er not only the technical systemsthemselves, but also their respectivepurposes and functions as well as the

Quality is achieved whenthe right approaches areput into practice. In theideal case, the objectivesdefined in the first stageare directly adopted in the subsequent measure planning stages

Know-how & Research


improvementpreparatory and accompanying insti-tutional processes. This means thatthe entire process chain, from long-term transport development plan-ning in a municipality or region up tothe detailed invitation for tenders fora traffic management system, mustbe consistently defined, for examplethrough the systematic meshing andprecise matching of master plans.

After all, quality is achieved whenthe right approaches are actually putinto practice. In the ideal case, theobjectives defined in the first stageare directly adopted in the subse-quent measure planning stages. Thereis no other way to make sure, forinstance, that a main artery plannedfor the city’s street network will actu-ally attain the required quality interms of capacity, utilization andtravel speed when the adaptive con-trol system put out to tender at a lat-er stage is finally implemented. Onceinstalled, the traffic control systemhas to be monitored to assess in howfar the stipulated performance fea-tures continue to be met in the longterm. The earlier a deviation from thetarget is detected, the more effective-ly the development can be counter-acted.

These tasks and many more arewhat quality management in trans-portation is all about. A complete defi-nition of the term encompasses thefollowing areas:

● definition and planning● monitoring and supervision● quality assurance and improvement

Definition and planningEach of these phases comprises alarge number of individual tasks to besolved. Naturally, the applicable qual-ity concept and criteria have to bedefined in line with the specific appli-cation and purpose of each installa-tion. How the quality of a TSI controlsystem is defined, for example,

depends on its overall purpose: indi-vidual traffic control only or, in addi-tion, priority for public transporta-tion. The installation type also deter-mines the quality assurance process,which has to be defined during theplanning phase. This process detailsthe individual measures, includingthe intervals and the order of therequired inspections.

Monitoring and supervisionNext on the task list is the installationof the monitoring system measuringthe necessary quality indicators. Thekey requirement for this stage is theclear structuring of the process chainto be monitored, including the de-tailed definition of its main elementsand interfaces. This enables the mon-itoring system of a roadway sectioncontrol installation to monitor allcomponents online – from the trafficsigns and detectors on the field levelup to the system level in the substa-tion, and even the impact on the roadusers’ behavior.

Diagnosis is followed byaction: current researchprojects are working on so-called self-healingmechanisms for trafficcontrol systems

Quality assurance and improvementQuality monitoring is not an end initself, of course. It only makes realsense if the results trigger the corre-sponding measures, i.e. if quality mon-itoring is complemented by genuinequality assurance or, if necessary, qual-ity improvement. On this level, artifi-cial intelligence plays a crucial role.The range of options includes every-thing from early warnings on impend-ing drops in quality to the automaticself-healing of the installation.

In concrete terms this means that,with the help of finely tuned analysisalgorithms, the data gathered by themonitoring system can be evaluatedautomatically or manually to detectany deviations from the defined tar-get quality as early as possible, ideal-ly even before a malfunction occurs.The parameterization of the corre-sponding algorithms serves to strikethe right balance between high andfast hit rates on the one hand and alow number of misinterpretations ofsystem behavior on the other.

Diagnosis is followed by action ifnecessary. Each malfunction localizedby the system or the quality operatormust be counteracted with the aim toassure compliance with defined tar-gets and full system operability. Ingeneral, the components affected arerepaired or the software parametersare readjusted. However, advancedresearch projects in traffic engineer-ing are already going one step fur-ther. They are working on so-calledautomatic self-healing mechanisms.These are able, for instance, to read-just parameters without humanintervention, to indicate identifiedcauses of malfunctions, and, in caseof partial failures, to explore alterna-tive strategies to bypass the defectivecomponents or software modulestemporarily or replace them by alter-native components, if feasible. Thishelps prevent or limit system failuresand often boosts the achievable sys-tem availability significantly.

It is more than probable that suchsolutions are going to gain in signifi-cance as our transportation systemsbecome more and more complex.Only those traffic systems thatachieve the required level of quality,usually specified at the time of theirpurchase, can fulfill their intendedpurpose in the framework of theoverall transportation context. And,in the end, they are going to be ac-cepted by the average road user, too.

Knowledge & Research


Motorists and public transport users alike crave the “Green Wave”. But from their subjec-

tive point of view Murphy’s Law always seems to be in control, handing right of way to

the other group of road users. With the MOTION MX optimized traffic signal control, both

groups can now be satisfied.

The perfect waveSITRAFFIC MOTION MX

Heraclites himself might havecoined his 2500 year-old apho-rism “all is flux” specifically to

describe the effect of MOTION MX ontraffic flow. Optimized control ofinner-city traffic signal installationsenables measurable improvementsin traffic flow both for individual andfor public modes of transport.

MOTION MX signifies “Method forthe optimization of traffic signal con-trol in online controlled networks”and it consists in a sophisticated soft-

ware that keeps an eye not only onindividual intersections but the entirenetwork, leading to a significantlyhigher effectiveness than traditionalsystems. In combination with detec-tors and a powerful control centersuch as Siemens ITS SITRAFFIC Scala,MOTION MX evaluates the currentand future traffic situation usingexisting measuring points, such asalready implemented at traffic signalinstallations. On the basis of specialalgorithms the software then identi-

fies the best signal plans and sendsthem to the traffic signal installa-tions.

To assist this optimization it isimportant to determine statisticallywhich turns vehicles make at theintersections. This alone allows theGreen Wave to be regulated dynami-cally with respect to the trafficstreams carrying the heaviest loads.Major cities often place special de-mands on the control processes,such as the switching of differentphasings in the morning and eveningrush hours.

Adapting precisely to the task at handThe system’s modular structureincreases its flexibility. Dedicatedmodules for detection of the currenttraffic conditions, situation recogni-tion and optimization allow very pre-cise adaptation to the tasks at hand.No matter if the coordination on themain axes or tailback management isparamount, or if it’s a “simple” mat-ter of boosting capacity on the avail-able roads – MOTION MX keeps thetraffic moving whatever the circum-stances and simultaneously makesmajor improvements to the qualityof the Green Waves.

As the world’s first system with anOCIT interface, MOTION MX is openfor use with local controllers from arange of manufacturers and alsoeffortlessly exchanges data with oth-er components in the existing infra-structure. Cities like Mannheim, Bre-men, Prague, Graz and Copenhagenare relying on the dynamic GreenWave that is adapted to the prevail-ing traffic situation through con-stant fine-tuning to reach the opti-mum conditions for all road users.All is flux: optimized traffic signal control for Green Waves



“Everyone’s heading for the

sun. By car. And the quicker

the better. And all together.”

The strapline of Germany’s hit

farce of the 1990s “Superstau”

was every bit as relevant then

as it is today. Just as the steel

reptile starts to snake its way

south through Germany

towards the Mediterranean

once again. But according to

the Yellow Angels of the ADAC

(the German Automobile Club)

there are ways to beat the

stress of holiday travel, and

here they tell us how. Will we

listen this time?

A choir of angelsRelax en route

As always, the best traffic jam isthe one we don’t get caught in.But how? For instance, rather

than selecting first gear without athought, take some time out and usecommon sense to plan your trip.There are two key points to bear inmind: the route and the timetable.

While it is perhaps understandablethat many inexperienced holidaymak-ers should choose to set out and arriveas quickly as possible, preferablyahead of everyone else, still this hel-ter-skelter approach, often on theevening of one’s final day at work, canlead to danger. It is quite likely to be adrag too, since many business travel-ers are also on the roads just beforethe weekend, putting an extra burdenon many routes.

Thus making a start on a Friday orSaturday leaves us with little hope of aclear run to our destination. Sundayand Monday should likewise be out ofbounds for the journey home. Thegreen light comes on Tuesdays andWednesdays when there is less trafficand fewer accidents. But if our person-al timetables force us to head off at theweekend, then there is only one thingfor it: avoid major routes in favor of the

quieter roads, not forgetting to packup-to-date maps into the glove box.

Difficult choices face us when radioreports bring news of congestion onour chosen route. Should we sit it outor find a detour? There is a rule ofthumb that should help anyone with-out an on-board navigation systemthat automatically suggests alterna-tive routes. If a series of bulletinsreport that the length of the tailbackis staying the same, then at least itmust be moving to some degree. If thequeue is reported to be growing, adetour is worthwhile provided the tail-back is more than about four kilome-ters in length, because many diver-sions will go through areas that aredifficult to negotiate – and that coststime.

Arriving in one piece is of courseeven more important than making arelaxed journey. Although the motor-ways are statistically among the safestof our roads, high speeds mean thataccidents often have especially direconsequences. The greatest risk isalways at those points where fast andslow-moving streams of traffic meetup: on- and off-ramps, constructionsites and uphill stretches. The greatest

care should also be exercised at theend of a tailback. When approachingthe tail of a queue, the experts adviseus to switch on hazard flashers,reduce speed in good time and keep atleast three to four car lengths clear ofthe preceding vehicle.

Especially at holiday times, driverfatigue is a common cause of acci-dents. Regular breaks should be aplanned part of the routine – anemphatic and illuminating recom-mendation that will protect not onlythe driver, but also passengers andother road users. However, the sad factis that every summer this recommen-dation goes unheeded by over threemillion travelers. According to ADACpolls, 50 percent of drivers do stints often hours or more and 80 percentdrive for at least eight hours withouta break, despite having a capable co-driver on board to share the work.

Besides all their pragmatic advice,the ADAC experts have a psychologicalword for holidaymakers about to setoff. “You’re on holiday. You have timeon your side. Don’t stress yourself.” Orto put it differently: what the choir ofthe Yellow Angels wishes drivers tofind is the patience of a saint.

“Don’t stress yourself.”ADAC Yellow Angels give

good advice



Equating mobility with a teamsport might look like a populistmetaphor forged under the

impression of the recently concludedSoccer World Cup. But in essence it isnot, since the metaphor accuratelyrepresents a current trend that ishoped to lead mobile society out ofthe dilemma of a classic conflict ofgoals. Against a backdrop of evermore urgent ecological demandsthere is now a need for not necessari-ly unlimited, but rather for boundary-less mobility – a mobile world wheremental and conceptual barriersbetween the various traffic systemshave ceased to exist.

It is a fact that the transport volumein Germany has soared since the mid-1970s. Passenger traffic has morethan doubled and freight traffic hasmore than tripled. As in the past, thegreatest part of traffic is still handledby the road system. Interestingly, wedo not take more trips today than 30years ago. Statistics cite a figuresomewhere between 3.5 and 4 tripsper person per day. By contrast ourtravel behavior has changed in twoother decisive ways: firstly, we arenow using our cars even for tripswhich we used to make on foot; andsecondly, the average distances haverisen from 30 kilometers to 45.

A growing demand for individualcomfort is just one of many reasonsfor the alarming rise in traffic vol-ume levels. Anyone aiming to doserious research into the causes willhave to investigate a range of factorssuch as the development of popula-tion structures, the increasing sub-urbanization and the emergence ofcoherent urban conglomerations,but also the organization of the

Regardless of how we

arrived at today’s situation,

that’s where we are

No barriers to Networked mobility

The conflict of goals that faces modern society could hardly

be more ambivalent: the desire for unlimited mobility on

the one hand and the necessity of protecting the environ-

ment on the other. This high-wire act can only succeed

if the boundaries between the various traffic systems

are made to disappear. Professor Dr. Fritz Busch of the

Munich Technical University tackles the issue in his

essay examining current trends towards integration

and intermodality.

tems to receive updates that cover allroute chains and diverse modes oftransport including pedestrian andcycle routes.

Growing importance is attached tothe mobility-friendly layout of inter-faces, both within a system and in-termodally. In concrete terms thismeans for instance: ● network-oriented control of private

traffic exploiting the capacity ofvarious parts of the networkthrough traffic signal switching,route indicators and ramp meter-ing

● creation of high-performance P+Ropportunities

● short distances and clear guidanceat transfer points

● increased availability of combinationtickets and multi-modal paymentoptions, e.g. through e-ticketing

All initiatives of this type, some ofthem realized, some of them in theirpiloting phase, serve the aim of thesmoothest possible switch betweentransport systems in order to satisfyexisting demand for mobility in anefficient, safe and environmentally-compatible way.

Such an organized interplay bet-ween systems is called “intermodalmobility and traffic management.”



regional and international flow ofgoods for private and business uses.

Regardless of how we arrived attoday’s situation, that’s where weare. In line with the rules of marketeconomy, the increased demand fortransport calls for enhanced per-formance from the transport infra-structure and the operational han-dling of traffic. Two keywords char-acterize current concepts and trendsin the transport sector: integrationand intermodality. A few exampleswill illuminate these trends.

Just as the national policy frame-work for regional planning aims topromote the development of axes

and focal points in population struc-tures, so the European Commissionis supporting the expansion ofsupraregional networks. One of thehallmarks of the development is theprovision of more and more transferpoints between the various trans-port systems (modes). Intermodaltransport offerings, in particular,provide a huge potential for im-provement of the transport chainsand the exploitation of the systems.However, a prerequisite of inter-modality is close integration on manylevels. Besides new all-embracingconcepts for freight transport – likethe “ralling highway” (combined

transport), standardization of carrierunits (containerization) up to supplychain management, i.e. control andoptimization of the entire supplychain – the creation of efficientinterfaces between the systems isgrowing steadily in significance. Inthis context we witness the estab-lishment of a multitude of flexiblegoods transport centers at impor-tant hubs as well as on the edges ofurban regions. These permit aneffective switch between transportsystems (road, rail, water, air) andbetween means of transport within asystem (e.g. from truck-trailers todelivery vans).

Another area, but a similar devel-opment. In passenger transport, lim-ited expansion of the infrastructureis being accompanied by vigorousendeavors to support mode switchingthrough the use of intelligent infor-mation systems, available before aswell as during the trip. Pre-trip infor-mation can be obtained from internetportals such as www.bayerninfo.de,while users already “on the road” canuse mobile phones or navigation sys- Continued on page 24

Components with

team-player qualities

are decisive factors for

the performance of

modern systems

mobility


The most important tasks of the rela-tively new discipline are not merelyfunctional in nature but also techni-cal and organizational. The perform-ance of modern traffic informationand guidance systems is decisivelydetermined by the team-player quali-ties of individual components: ● detectors to pick up the flow of traf-

fic or goods● field devices for communication

and local control at intersections orfor the control of message signsand traffic lights

● subcenters that control major por-tions of a network or entire systems(partly) automatically (e.g. conges-tion warning systems)

● superordinate operation and man-agement centers for integrated con-trol/management of a public trans-port system or an urban transportsystem (urban traffic control center)The increasing capabilities of mod-

ern communications technology,especially in mobile communication,open up a whole new range of net-working opportunities. For example,it is now possible to put travelingvehicles in communication with eachother, to exchange informationbetween vehicles and roadside infra-structure (see graph), and also, withthe help of SmartPhones or PDAs, toaccompany travelers virtually contin-uously throughout their journeys onall modes of transport.

Even if these visions are still in

ces are being made available in anumber of regions: for instance the“Ruhrpilot” project in North-RhineWestphalia, the Berlin Traffic Man-agement Center and the BavarianTraffic Information Agency.

To allow the efficient integrationof all components that have to becombined, networking has to beginmuch earlier than a project’s practi-cal implementation stage. Duringprofessional training the boundariesbetween the disciplines will begin toblur, and college programs and qual-ifications will not remain unaffectedby these changes. In today’s trans-port sector, as in many other fields,it is in general no longer sufficientto study a single discipline if one’sgoal is to forge an active, lastingcareer and shape the future in theprofessional environment outlinedabove. The disciplines involved,ranging from engineering and busi-ness administration to geographyand social sciences, are simply toodiverse.

Munich’s Technical University hasalready responded to this situationand is currently developing newcross-disciplinary training routes forcareers in the transport sector, incooperation with administrative andindustrial employers in the market.For if society has ambitions toremain physically mobile, then thismobility must also be applied to itsmindset – the earlier the better.

their market infancy, one thing isbecoming perfectly clear: functionand technology set the rapid pace

while the organization attempts tokeep up. Throughout the processchain that makes up an intermodaljourney, a great many institutionsare involved, which must be mutu-ally harmonized – in terms of tech-nical interfaces and data that needto be exchanged, in terms of pric-ing models and responsibilities, interms of cost accounting andstrategies for specific traffic situa-tions and much more.

This is where the great chal-lenges, but also the great opportu-nities, lie in wait. Because of thecomplexity of the matter on the onehand, and the evident economicattractiveness to the market on theother, there is a rising tide of orga-nizational configurations beingformed in which private investorstake over certain tasks, creatingnew public-private partnerships.Mobility information in particular isa field where interesting new servi-


Function and technology

set the pace while the

organization attempts to

keep up

Where does it stop, where does it go: www.bayerninfo.de provides continuously updated traffic information and offersvarious service tools

A network of chances: technical innovations such as vehicle-to-vehicleor vehicle-to-infrastructure communication open up new opportunities


Trendspots


The new Silux 1.40 LED signal head featuresimproved optical and electrical properties. Becauseits colorless diffuser lenses prevent the formationof colored phantom light effects, the system,developed by Siemens Industrial Solutions & Ser-vices, scores the highest phantom classification of 5 for nearly all colors and sizes.

Optimized light emission characteristics guaran-tee high visibility under all weather conditions at all times of the day or night. Newly designedcontrol and monitoring electronics maximize oper-ating reliability. The signal heads are fitted with a TÜV-certified connection that monitors andchecks current and voltage values for all LEDs on a permanent basis. If a unit fails to reach presetvalues, or limits are exceeded, the input current is automatically cut off.

Even if the marketing slogans of somecompanies, in their effusive praise oftheir own products, seem to tell usotherwise: controllers for traffic signalinstallations are one of the areas oftechnology where revolutionary inno-vations or quantum leaps are less indemand than continuity and efficientstep-by-step development. In thisarea, the key goal is to protect invest-ments made by towns and cities whilemeeting the customers’ ever-growingrequirements – through the develop-ment of fully compatible stages ofevolution in a product line that hasproven its worth in several thousandinstallations.

Higher performance – lower costs.This simple formula characterizes theessential strengths of the recentlyunveiled SITRAFFIC C900 family fromSiemens ITS. Its core is the BBX con-

trol module with the internationallyharmonized ITS Engine processor unit.Increased performance, expanded stor-age and a multitude of external inter-faces make these new local controllersfit for the practical demands of thefuture.

Striking cost advantages over thetraditional two-component approachhave been secured by integrating tech-nology for advanced data transmissioninto the CPU. A simple mechanicalupgrade to the C800 unit is facilitatedby plug-in compatibility between theBBS and BBX modules.

Just as in preceding years with theC840VP (2005), the C840V (2004), theC800XS (2003) and the OCIT (2002),Siemens ITS has taken an unspectacularbut well-judged step, secure in theknowledge that year by year, the bar isbeing raised a little higher.

Rated at seven watts, the 40-volt signal headsdeliver significant benefits in terms of energy con-sumption; compared to traditional signal heads asaving of up to 90 percent can be expected. Theextended life of the LEDs also has a cost saving benefit. To facilitate assembly and retrofitting, thenew Silux 1.40 is integrated into the housing door.

Silux 1.40

No chance for phantoms

LED signal heads: colorless lenses forhighest phantom class

SITRAFFIC C900

Pacemaker for the future

Traffic signal control:continuity prefered over

quantum leaps

Profile


Innovations of a technologicaland organizational nature will

give citizens new options toenjoy freedom of mobility also

in the future. Whether or notthey take advantage of them is

another matter, according toAxel Schultz, the man in

charge of Traffic Managementfor Siemens ITS in Germany

and managing director of theBerlin Traffic Management

Center (VMZ). In an interviewwith ITS magazine, Schultz out-

lined the opportunities andlimits of modern methods of

keeping the traffic flowing.

project, the first phase of which wentinto operation in time for the SoccerWorld Cup. Or the Bavarian TrafficInformation Agency project, whichstarted in January 2006 and is being fedby Siemens’ whole wealth of experience.

When the goal is to establish an integrated traffic management for an entire region, is it not very difficult to unite so many different interests under the one proverbialumbrella?As demonstrated by the Ruhrpilot as aliving example: where there’s a will,there’s usually a way. ProjektRuhrGmbH, the project sponsor, has beenvery active and done an enormous

amount of groundwork. Plus, theregional authorities stand to gainhugely by the project, of course. If, by networking public and privatemobility systems into a commonstrategic management system, theproject succeeds in integrating themany interacting streams of traffic,then preventive control measureswill be possible – to the great benefitof the flow of the entire traffic. Thebottom line is that everyone profits,and not least the environment,because all infrastructural optionsfor alternative traffic routing can beexploited.

Given the heated debate surround-ing the EU Emissions Directive, that’s a highly topical aspect, …Quite right. Against this background,traffic management has acquired anew, additional task. Already today weare working on action plans definingeffective traffic measures that willhopefully contribute to meeting the

Interview with Axel Schultz, head of Traffic Management at Siemens ITS Germany and managing

Releasing the meMr. Schultz, many road users fear a knockout blow to mobility. Whenwill we be counted out?It need not come to that. To stay with-in your sporting image, we havebeen training hard, and in sparring,under competitive conditions, we aregathering experiences in strategyand information management. Wehave already reached a rather goodform, and our capabilities are grow-ing in line with the challenges.

And who do you mean by “we”?The metaphor does not just refer tothe Berlin Traffic Management Centerbut also to other urban traffic projectssuch as those implemented inCologne, Frankfurt, Erfurt, Braun-schweig and Potsdam, which are allachieving really outstanding results.And lately the idea of integratedmobility management including allroad and rail traffic systems has beenexpanded to cover entire centers of population. Take the Ruhrpilot

“As demonstrated by theRuhrpilot as a living exam-ple: where there’s a will,there’s usually a way”

Axel Schultz:Key career steps at a glance

• Born 1961 in Magdeburg• Studies in Information Technology, certified

engineer (Dipl.-Ing.) • 1986 -1990: positions as a sales engineer,

project engineer and department head at Starkstrom-Anlagenbau Magdeburg

• 1990 - 1993: sales manager for information technology, Siemens AG

• 1993 - 1996: head of Siemens Building Technology, Magdeburg branch

• 1996 - 2001: sales manager for Intelligent Traffic Systems at the Berlin branch; project development responsibility for intelligent transport systems; project management for the VMZ Berlin

• 2001 - 2002: head of the business segment Transport Logistics, IVU Traffic Technologies AG

• 2002 - 2003: business development respon-sibility for new intelligent transport systems businesses at Siemens ITS

• Since 2003: managing director of VMZ Berlin Betreibergesellschaft mbH; and since 2004, head of Traffic Management Germany for Siemens ITS

Profile


limits. The envisaged environmental-ly-oriented traffic management mod-ule will be able to interpret environ-mental data from a transport point ofview and thus provide the basis forthe development of an all-embracingstrategy. In a research project, we aregathering practical experiences, withthe aim of making this module avail-able for our SITRAFFIC CONCERTproduct family.

The logical next step would be the establishment of internationallyharmonized master strategies. What conditions would have to be created for this to happen? In border regions where flows of traf-fic have a mutual impact on each oth-er, such as in the Alps or along theFranco-German border, exchange ofdata between the interacting institu-tions obviously makes sense. Interna-tionally integrated management sys-tems also create excellent options forthe alternative routing of long-dis-

tance trucks and bring freight trafficto its destination faster and moresafely.

So, all things considered, can wehope that come 2015, freedom ofmobility will still be universally available?Let’s put it this way: we are providingan opportunity. Whether people takeit or not is another matter. There aredefinitely one or two mental brakesstill to be released. Many drivers arestill far from ready to modify theirtravel behavior to suit the changingreality and go in for mode switching.But the intermodal approach, the

seamless transfer from one transportsystem to another, clearly representsthe biggest common denominator inthe conflict between mobility, envi-ronment and safety.

Skeptics say that only compulsion,for instance through new politicalframework conditions, will bringmotorists to that happy dawn.It’s not for me to make that decision.But as I see it, one thing is certain.The better the options for holisticmobility in our cities, the more natu-ral the modal split will soon become.By 2015 all of Germany’s agglomera-tions will probably have integratedtraffic management systems. A largenumber of vehicles will be equippedwith dynamic navigation devices thatwill also guide and accompany theuser when switching from the car topublic transport.

Mr. Schultz, thank you very much forthis interview.

director of the Berlin Traffic Management Center (VMZ).

ntal brake“Drivers are still far from ready to adapt their travel behavior to today’s realities”

ITS magazine · The Magazine for Siemens Intelligent Traffic Systems

Publisher: Siemens AG · Industrial Solutions and Services ·Intelligent Traffic Systems · Hofmannstrasse 51 · D-81359 Munich

Editors: Dr. Michael Ostertag (responsible for contents), Karin Kaindl: Siemens I&S ITS · Wolfgang Schumacher: BFW Werbeagentur GmbH, Munich Office

Coordination: Roland Michali: Siemens I&S GC Erlangen

Editing: Peter Rosenberger, Wolfgang Schumacher · www.bfw-nw.de

Photographs: Achim Graf: P. 3 top · ullstein bild: P. 4 · Informationsdienst Ruhr: P. 6 top left · Ruhrpilot Besitzgesellschaft mbH: P. 6 top right, P. 7 top · Corbis: P. 9 · Hans-Georg Merkel: P. 12, P. 14 right · PTV AG: P. 13, P. 14 left · PhotoCase.com: P. 15, 16, 28 · ADAC: P. 21 · Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern: P. 24 bottom left · Dirk Hasskarl: P. 26

English Translation: Dr. Barbara Gutermann Sprachendienste GmbH

Concept & Layout: Agentur Feedback, Munich ·www.agentur-feedback.de

Printing: Aumüller Druck KG, Regensburg

Copyright: © Siemens AG 2006

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used without express prior permission. Subject to technical modifications. Printed in Germany.

The next issue of the ITS magazine will be published on November 15, 2006.

www.siemens.com/trafficOrder No. E10003-A810-F27-V1-7600Dispo-No. 22300 · K-No. 41900C-TSRT5306M06 IF 07065.5

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