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ITS magazineThe Magazine for Intelligent Traffic Systems

Issue 01 | 2015 | siemens.com/mobility

Make way?The sustained cycling boom’s challenges on modern mobility systems

Leading the way with technology

The city of Copenhagen’s innovative ITS program for optimizing urban transport

“ The briskly growing group of cyclists places new requirements on mobility systems all over the world”

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Editorial | ITS magazine 1/2015

Dear Reader,

In the forever traffic-gridlocked mega-city of Dhaka in Bangladesh, Mozam-mel Haque is something of a cult figure. From a global perspective, he could also count as a symbol of a new worldwide trend: The 34-year old manager of a software company recently did exactly the opposite of what is typical for his country’s emerg-ing middle class. He switched his mode of transport – but not from the bike to the more prestigious automo-bile, as one would expect. In a refresh-ingly pragmatic approach, he chose the bike over the car since this mode of transport takes him about five times as fast through the city. Only a short time later, tens of thousands among the 15 million inhabitants of Dhaka followed his lead.

Now that even in developing coun-tries, cycling is gradually losing its ‘poor-people’s transport’ image and turning into an attractive alternative especially for young and relatively affluent urban dwellers, we can defi-nitely speak of a global trend. A trend that is fueled by a whole range of per-

sonal motives, as Rudolf Scharping, our interview partner for the present magazine issue, explains. The former candidate for the position of German chancellor and current President of the Federation of German Cyclists attri-butes the trend to both purely rational and strongly emotional reasons.

It goes without saying that the brisk growth of this target group places new requirements on mobility systems all over the world. European know-how is in high demand when it comes to steering this change. Only recently, a team of architects from Denmark sold an inclusive bike traffic concept to Mexico City. And early last year, their famous British colleague Norman Foster made the international head-lines with his visionary SkyCycle proj-ect, even though cost considerations stopped the realization of the pro-posed 220 kilometers of bike routes on stilts high above London’s urban railway tracks.

Far more down-to-earth and conse-quently considerably more efficient are the optimization measures that

the bike-friendly metropolis of Copen-hagen is going to invest in over the coming years, as Steffen Rasmussen, Head of Copenhagen’s Department for Traffic and Urban Life, reports in the present ITS magazine issue. A closer look at Copenhagen’s transport con-cept reveals two especially interesting aspects: On the one hand, this globally quite unique model owes its long-term success also to the fact that cycling traffic is not dealt with in isolation, but as an integral part of a holistic urban transport plan. On the other hand, the measures for the targeted promotion of cycling are increasingly relying on Intelligent Traffic Systems.

As always, I wish you an informative and inspiring read.

Sincerely,

Markus Schlitt

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ITS magazine 1/2015 | Im Fokus

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Focus

06 “The development is definitely not over yet” Rudolf Scharping, former candidate for German chancellor and President of the Federation of German Cyclists, on the causes and effects of the current bike boom in Europe, the significant prog-ress that has been made in adapting the infrastruc-ture, and what makes him want to get on his bike

14 Leading the way with technology Hardly another city in the world has worked harder than the Danish capital on making its streets more accessible for cyclists. Now the second opti-mization phase is already under way. Steffen Rasmussen, Head of Copenhagen’s Department for Traffic and Urban Life, explains the city’s ambitious program for all transport modes and what intelli-gent transport systems have to do with it

18 Green, smart and livable Morten Kabell, Mayor of Technical and Environmental Affairs in Copenhagen, writes about how his city manages to balance its growth and climate protection goals

Trends & Events

20 Truly active assets In many parts of the world, the ongoing trend towards active mobility encourages the responsible municipal authorities to optimize their concepts for non-motorized transport. For implementation they can rely on modern technological solutions, for example in the areas of traffic signal control and traffic detection

22 Smart service Being able to monitor systems around the clock from afar and to identify malfunctions bevor they even occur – these are just two of the many advantages offered by innovative remote services. The digital services ‘from a distance’ have already started to revolutionize the world of traffic infrastructure maintenance

24 Best practice For more than sixty years now, the Siemens ITS Academy, the only one of its kind, has been using state-of-the-art training methods to teach customers, employees and university students what they need to know about traffic technology

Content

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Im Fokus | ITS magazine 1/2015

Partners & Projects

25 Shortcuts Recent traffic engineering projects in the UK, Colombia and the USA

Profile

30 “The transformation has already begun” Fred Kalt, who has global responsibility for service at Siemens Intelligent Traffic Systems, on the benefits of innovative service concepts, the coming transfor-mation of the business from being a manufacturer of physical products to being a service provider, and on the team spirit that unites service employees across the company

Know-how & Research

26 And what about the walkers? Stefan Kornmann, a partner at Albert Speer & Partner architects, sees pedestrian-friendly urban planning as the core of urban local mobility Rubrics

29 In the side-view mirror Reflections and lateral thoughts about active mobility: “A finger on the pulse”

32 Imprint

Re-discovering the bikeThe renaissance of the bicycle as a means of transport is encouraging many cities to revise their traffic planning and create a more exten-sive network of separate bike paths, for instance

Mobility & Living Space

28 Welte‘s travels Different countries – different customs. This is something that applies to cycling conditions too. Multiple UCI Track Cycling World Champion and Olympic gold medalist Miriam Welte has already covered many training kilometers on roads on every continent, experiencing the widest rage of condi-tions for and attitudes towards cyclists

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ITS magazine 1/2015 | Focus

“ The development is definitely not over yet”

Interview Rudolf Scharping, former candidate for German chancellor and President of the Federation of German Cyclists, on the causes and effects of the current bike boom in Europe, the significant progress that has been made in adapting traffic infrastructure accordingly, and what makes him want to get on his bike.

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Focus | ITS magazine 1/2015

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Mr. Scharping, according to official figures, about two-thirds of the members of the Folketing, the Dan-ish Parliament, arrive at sessions by bike. What do you think are the numbers for the German Bundestag, or the US Congress, for that matter? To be honest, I could not even start to take a guess. All I can say is that there are definitely not enough, compared to what is possible for the Danish Par-liament. However, of course one must recognize that Copenhagen has a much longer tradition when it comes to developing a bicycle-friendly envi-ronment and organizing a smoothly interfacing network of different modes of transport.

Regardless of the mobility habits of the people’s representatives, almost everywhere across the world the people themselves have set off a real bike boom. Even in car-crazy European counties, more bicycles are being sold than cars. In your view, is this a long-term trend? We can be pretty sure that this is the case. Especially since the purchase of a bicycle, while of course in a different order of magnitude than buying a car, is often an economic decision that does not just come from a momentary whim. In Germany alone, over 40 mil-lion people are using their bike on a regular basis. And as clearly demon-strated by one of our recent studies, this is based on a broad and obviously stable set of motives that arise from very different needs. First, there is the satisfaction that comes from having a healthy lifestyle, experiencing our nat-ural environment and enjoying an active leisure pursuit with the family. On the other hand, there is the very rational approach based on both eco-nomic and environmental consider-ations, where people take the bike instead of the car for trips to their

Central Park in New York City: “The transport systems in most big cities around the globe are not yet ready to accommodate a two-digit share of cycling traffic. But the adaptation to cyclists’ needs is a process that has been underway for some time now”

“ Motorists, cyclists and pedestrians must get on better with each other”

place of work or the supermarket. And then of course there is the large group of cyclists for whom sporting ambition is what really counts – this definition currently covers at least eight of the forty million bike users in Germany.

Realistically, what share of the to-tal volume of traffic should be by bicycle? In this respect, I wouldn’t want to commit to a definite number. But I am very confident that we are far from having reached the maximum in most cities and regions and that the number of those who opt for physically active mobility will con-tinue to rise significantly over the coming years. Looking to the future, it is therefore all the more important that motorists, cyclists and pedestri-ans get on better with each other in traffic.

And what could be done to optimize the relationships between the vari-ous road users for the long term?This is a goal that we will certainly not achieve with rules and sanctions alone. It is much more important that each type of road user develops a bet-ter understanding of the others. That is why our association is collaborating actively with several ministries. For example, we are going into primary schools, not only to carry out safety training, but also to try and teach children early on in their lives how important it is to be considerate of each other.

Pedelecs and eBikes are currently setting one sales record after an-other, even though they are still relative newcomers to our streets. Is this just another group joining the competition for road space, as some experts fear?

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around the globe and their trans-port systems in any way ready for cycling to take a share of 20, 30, 40 percent or more? In the majority of cases, they aren’t ready yet, I’d say. But the adaptation to cyclists’ needs is a process that has been underway for some time now. For example, when looking at Frank-furt am Main from my own personal point of view as a cyclist, I can see that there are more and more new sepa-rate cycle tracks or at least separate

we are seeing the creation of a new group of road users that would then need to be integrated into the system.

Apart from model cities like Copen-hagen or Amsterdam, are big cities

No, I can’t see that happening. Usu-ally such devices are merely used to supplement the dwindling musc ular strength of older people with electrical power, or make cycling easier in hilly areas. That’s why I do not believe that

“ The optimization of infrastructure costs money – and takes time”

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Your colleague from the German Cycling Club says that traffic plan-ners appear to have been surprised by this rapid development. Are you? No. My observation is that the vast majority of the municipalities have responded promptly to the increas-ing demand, in Germany at least. Of course they have recognized that people’s changed habits also repre-sent an economic factor that should not be underestimated. For example, this is reflected in the great advances that have been made in the develop-ment of rural networks of cycle paths. And in turn this has prompted many regional bus operators – and eventu-ally also German Railways – to sig-nificantly expand their transport facilities for bicycles, though certain annoying obstacles still exist.

Why is it obviously easier for smaller cities to position themselves as cy-cle-friendly? In Germany, one exam-ple is Greifswald, a town with around 55,000 inhabitants, which has now achieved a Copenhagen-like cycling share of 44 percent.In the same breath, you could prob ably mention other cities such as Münster or Freiburg, which all have one thing in common: Thanks to their universities, they have a relatively young, not so affluent population. So we have a clear economic motive here. Moreover, these cities want to position themselves as pleasant towns, with less noise and a higher quality of life. All this leads to a stronger momentum in expanding cycle traffic and ultimately perhaps even to the development of a different cycling culture.

What concrete measures are need-ed in cities such as London, Paris or Berlin, to make them more cycle-friendly? Of course I’m not an urban planner, but from the perspective of an active cyclist I can see a number of ways to make our lives easier in large cities. But these do not just consist of infra-

Bike traffic lights in Berlin (far left), cycling barometer in Ham-burg (left), bike lane in Munich (below), bike road in Freiburg (bottom): “My observation is that the vast majority of the munici-palities have responded promptly to the increasing demand, in Ger-many at least”

lanes for us – and that we are now allowed to pedal up one-way streets in the opposite direction. I think that in many large cities, the conditions for cyclists have improved noticeably in recent years. And this development is definitely not over yet. However, when it comes to improvements in urban infrastructure, you should not expect any miracles of course. These things cost money – and they take time.

In the view of some experts, the ev-eryday struggle between motorists, cyclists and pedestrians for the lim-ited road space available is being continued at the level of transport planning. What prevents those in charge from setting new priorities? I think we need a little perspective here. The struggle for road space only occurs at certain peak times. And in my opinion, it would not really make sense to adjust the capacity to suit the peak periods and thus accept that these stretches of road would not be anywhere near fully utilized for 20 hours in every 24. The political ques-tion is rather more about how trans-port demand can be better distributed to make more efficient use of existing infrastructure capacity.

Do you have the impression that the world’s big cities are investing enough to make cycling safer and more attractive?We will not meet the demands cre-ated by the current boom in cycling if we concentrate only on city traffic. And I am also convinced that defining an appropriate response to the issue cannot be reduced to a question of the sums invested. At least as signifi-cant, I think, is the importance that a mobile society attaches to cycling and cyclists. In tourist areas, for example in the French Pyrenees, you will find the so-called Routes Cyclistes. At first glance these routes appear to be nor-mal roads, but the signs make it clear that the most important road user here is the cyclist.

“ Our changed leisure habits are also an economic factor”

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structural changes such as the pro-vision of special cycle paths or lanes, but organizational improvements as well. You could achieve a great deal by allowing bicycles to use pedestrian zones, where possible. In essence, it all comes down to one central issue, I think: We must try and make it easier for the users of different modes of transport to cooperate with each other.

Would it be part of the solution to take the specific needs of cyclists even more seriously – for example, by offering plenty of bike racks, perhaps in specially designed multi- story bike parks? You are absolutely right. And I would even go a step further and say that these measures should include innovative services such as the option to rent a bike by mobile phone. But most of all, there is no doubt that we need to focus on traf-fic safety. While we have already made much progress over the years, there still remain a lot of improve-ments to be made, especially with regard to the safety of children.

To what extent can traffic engineer-ing actually help make urban streets safer for cyclists? Of course, I see the technical possi-bilities that are available as being an important aspect of a future-oriented approach to town planning that is not dominated by the car. Important as it may be to lay down fixed rules to gov-ern the interactions of road users, we should never rely solely on rules and regulations, but rather use all the opportunities that present themselves, especially when it comes to safety.

Opinions still differ on two very specific safety issues: Should we introduce a law to enforce the wear-ing of cycle helmets, and should we create separate paths for cyclists? What is your take on these issues?Of course I know that there are differ-ent views on both topics, in the first case even within my own association. But I myself am a dedicated supporter of the introduction of a general helmet law – partly because of my own painful experience, but also because of the many serious head injuries suffered by children, in simply unacceptable num-bers. The current arguments for and

“ Traffic engineering is an important aspect of planning for the future”

against mandatory helmet use remind me a bit of the discussion that took place before the car seatbelt law came into force. As for separate cycle paths, for me one thing is clear: They definitely make sense outside cities and towns. Here I am again thinking especially of families and children, and less of sport-ing cyclists, who may have certain objections against being restricted to using dedicated cycle paths.

From a political perspective, there are plenty of reasons to promote cycling: It keeps people fit and pro-tects the environment. The media have appeared all the more vexed by the murmurings of some German government officials who railed about aggressive cyclists ...I do not see that as a dramatic issue. What is the problem with pointing out to someone that they too must abide by the traffic rules in force? Cyclists have to respect, for instance, that sidewalks are reserved for pedestrians. I consider it rather far-fetched to turn that into a form of discrimination. Especially since some cyclists do indeed sometimes take to the road under their own rules.

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mance, a competitive spirit and the enjoyment of nature. The rational aspect, that of quickly carrying out errands by bike, is not really important to me. Because I am in the fortunate position that where I live I can simply walk to the shops.

Mr. Scharping, thank you for the interview.

Everything I could say at this point would look like a know-it-all’s retro-spective comment, and that’s not my style.

Finally, a personal question: What actually makes you want to get on your bike?The answer is simple: It is a mixture of taking pleasure in my own perfor-

I myself have already cycled up to a red light, tempted by the thought: Should I really stop and ruin my average?

Assuming that you had won the German federal election in 1994 and became Chancellor: Would there be better conditions for cyclists in German cities today?

Safety check in the scope of an accident prevention cam-paign; father and son wearing bike helmets: “While we have already made much progress with improving traffic safety, there still remains a lot to be done, especially with regard to the safety of children”

Personal background

From 1991 to 1994, Rudolf Scharping was Minister of the State of Rhine-land-Palatinate, and from 1998 to 2002 Federal Minister of Defense under chancellor Gerhard Schröder. From 1993 to 1995 he was the national chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, and their candidate, against incumbent Helmut Kohl, for the position of German chancellor in the 1994 elections to the Bundestag. Between 1995 and 2001 Scharping headed the Party of European Socialists (PES) and since 2005 he is the President of the Federation of German Cyclists.

“ A mixture of taking pleasure in your own performance and the enjoyment of nature”

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Leading the way with technologyCopenhagen’s transport strategy The use of the term “Copenhage-nization” as shorthand for making a city less car-dependent says it all: There is hardly another city in the world that has worked harder than the Danish capital on making its streets more accessible for bicy-clists and pedestrians. And the second optimization phase has already started. Steffen Rasmussen, Head of Copenhagen’s Department for Traffic and Urban Life, explains the city’s ambitious program for all transport modes, and what intelligent transport systems have to do with it.

Free-of-charge bike transport on S-trains,

GoBikes at the cen-tral railway station,

bicyle counter: Copenhagen’s cycling culture has developed over many years, also

thanks to strong encouragement by

public policy, for in-stance investments

in separate lanes for cyclists

The ITS program makes an important contribution to reduc-ing CO₂ emissions


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Leading the way with technologyIn the everyday lives of Copenhagen-ers, bicycles are playing a vital role. In the Danish capital, cycling accounts for an important part of urban trans-port, as reflected in the layout of the urban infrastructure. In spite of a population growth rate of 1,000 per month, Copenhagen has succeeded in keeping car use under control. Cur-rently, 41 percent of all trips to work or to educational institutions are made by bike. The goal is to increase this share to 50 percent. Bicycles are a cheap, convenient, easy and environmentally friendly way of getting around.

Many Copenhageners prefer to use their bike over their car or public trans-port because it is the fastest and easi-est way of getting around in the city. Our cycling culture has developed over many years, strongly encouraged by investments in cycle tracks, and, more recently, in dedicated cycle routes as well as bridges for cyclists and pedes-trians. The city authorities have also been successful in reducing the num-ber of accidents involving cyclists. Still, much remains to be done.

Like many other cities, Copenhagen keeps growing due to the continued

urbanization trend, resulting in an increasing pressure on the limited street space. The city has to deal with the challenge of managing traffic flows while at the same time keeping the urban environment healthy, livable and attractive for both citizens and businesses. Innovative solutions are needed to improve mobility, safety and sustainability. As a ‘smart’ city, Copenhagen sees Big Data, new tech-nologies and new partnerships as key factors in creating innovative solutions for transport. With a budget of €8 mil-lion allocated to this purpose, the city is ready to buy new ITS solutions to promote sustainable mobility.

The ITS program, an initiative driven by Copenhagen’s Climate Plan, is expected to make an important con-tribution to the city’s CO2 reduction target for 2025. The goals defined for the ITS program require continuous investment in Intelligent Transport Systems until 2025 and aims at improv-ing traffic flow, promoting eco-friendly driving and providing better condi-tions for bikes and busses. ‘Smarter’ and ‘greener’ traffic management for all modes of transport will enable road users to reach their destination more quickly and easily. Part of the ITS pro-gram deals with how Copenhagen can make cycling and public transport in the urban environment even more effi-cient and attractive to citizens, visitors and commuters alike.

To fully leverage the benefits of the ITS initiative, the City Council has adopted a Traffic Management Plan and an ITS Action Plan. In essence, these plans focus on getting the most out of the existing transport capacity. Since many streets in Copen-hagen have to accommodate widely fluctuating traffic volumes in the course of the day, more dynamic man-agement of these flows will ensure a

The ITS Action Plan is a roadmap for the transition to a ‘smarter’ city

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Copenhagen’s service level goals for 2018*

For cyclists• Reduce cycling travel time

by 10 percent• Reduce the number of stops

by 10 percent

For pedestrians• Inner city: define sufficiently

long green phases for crossing the road

• Rest of the city: adapt shop-ping streets and traffic hubs to better meet the needs of pedestrians

For buses• Reduce bus travel time by 5

to 20 percent (depending on the route)

• Increase travel time reliability by 10 percent

For cars• Prevent increases in travel times, reduce travel times at conges-tion hot spots by 5 percent

• Increase travel time reliability by 10 percent

• Reduce the number of stops by 10 percent

* Compared to the basis values of 2011

more efficient use of street capacity. This is why the Traffic Management Plan defines a clear priority strategy for ITS focus measures:• Creating an efficient network of

cycle routes where traffic lights are set to bicycle speed, so that cyclists benefit from a green wave with only a minimum of stops

• Introducing new services for cyclists, e.g. the dynamic provision of rele-vant traffic information

• Improving traffic safety through the introduction of ‘smart’ street lighting

• Making the streets more convenient to navigate on foot by shortening waiting times for pedestrians and increasing overall safety

• Making bus transport more attrac-tive through the introduction of a stronger bus prioritization system and the inclusion of more data from buses in the traffic management algorithms, which will help shorten bus travel times and reduce delays

• Reducing the number of stops for cars and trucks through optimized traffic light control and the introduc-tion of cooperative systems such as ECO-driving

• Finding ways to use the available urban space more flexibly

• Providing more real-time data to allow car drivers to plan their trips more efficiently and avoid con-gested streets

• Building a traffic management sys-tem that enables early detection and efficient handling of incidents

The Traffic Management Plan offers a set of measurable, short-term service goals for all modes of transport and a clear strategy as to how to prioritize them. This makes the Traffic Manage-ment Plan an important political document and a valuable organiza-tional tool for focusing ITS invest-ments in Copenhagen.

The Traffic Management Plan clas-sifies the various streets and stretches of road in the city according to the types of road users – pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and buses – that they are to accommodate.

Copenhagen is the first municipal-ity in Denmark to set service goals, which define how long a peak-hour trip through the city should take by bike, by car and by bus on the main roads. The service goals are set for specific important stretches of the street network that are critical to the overall flow of traffic across the city. The defined service levels reflect the traffic quality that can be offered to different groups of road users.

The administration will report annually to the City Council and the public on how we have performed in relation to the service goals. Efficient collection and processing of traffic data is vital for this assessment. If a service goal is not met, measures shall be taken to ensure that it will be met in the future.

The service goals are to be achieved by 2018. To this end, the City Council has recently adopted an ITS Action Plan. This plan outlines the themes and focus

areas for the deployment of ITS in Copenhagen up to and including 2016. To ensure that the service goals will be met and to facilitate the smooth transi-tion to a ‘smarter’ city, Copenhagen has already initiated or even completed vari-ous projects:• A new traffic management and infor-

mation center is being constructed to house staff from the Danish Road Directorate, the police and the City of Copenhagen under the same roof. The center continuously collects and processes real-time information from the traffic network in order to opti-mize traffic flows across municipal borders and allow for active manage-ment of traffic incidents. This shows that cooperation creates value.

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are equipped with integrated tablet PCs and GPS. In Copenhagen, bike sharing is considered the fourth mode of public transport.

• There is also a public-private innova-tion project under way: Fifteen com-panies from various countries and two Danish universities have joined forces in eight cross-disciplinary inno-vation teams. The result of their work: eight very different, surprising and positive ideas and solutions. By focus-ing on Copenhagen’s specific trans-port challenges, the teams succeeded in developing technical, creative and clever solutions that will help the city meet both existing and future chal-lenges in road traffic. The solutions include the flexible use of parking areas, ‘smart’ street lighting that pro-vides extra light on the cycle tracks, as well as a green wave for cyclists.

In the scope of the ITS Action Plan, the city will implement some of the refer-ence projects mentioned above on a larger scale in near- to mid-term. Beyond this, the plan also defines the following measures: optimized traffic light control, initiatives for dynamic systems benefitting traffic flow and safety on urban streets, such as intelli-gent street lighting, as well as a reduc-tion of red light violations.

The Traffic Man-agement Plan defines measur-able short-term goals for all trans-port modes

• The city is investing in a range of public transport projects, for example a driv-erless metro line linking the airport to the city center. The new line will include 17 new stations and is sched-uled to open by 2019. In addition, two new extensions to existing metro lines are being built together with a new light rail line around Copenhagen and two rapid transit bus routes.

• The ITS Action Plan also encompasses the creation of a pilot site for the EU-funded ‘Compass4D’ project and a locally funded ECO-driving project. As part of these projects, 87 buses, 20 trucks and 33 signalized intersections are being equipped with Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS), which enable traffic signals and buses

to communicate. Drivers receive time-to-green information, speed recommendations as well as hazard warnings. Bus transport profits from a ‘smart’ bus prioritization system.

• The traffic control systems have been upgraded and/or replaced by state-of-the-art equipment, and a communication infrastructure link-ing the various control systems has been installed. Another project that has already been completed is the deployment of adaptive control sys-tems for more dynamic and effec-tive control of traffic lights.

• The bike sharing scheme GoBike is setting new standards for cycling in the city: Commuters and tourists can use the electric GoBike bicycles that

The new “Snake Bridge” reserved for cyclists, coordinat-ed green phases on cycle lanes, multi-modal urban traffic: The traffic management plan envis-ages, among other things, the creation of an efficient network of cycle routes where traffic lights are set to bicycle speed. Another priority measure is the development of a new service for the dynamic provision of relevant traffic information to cyclists

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Green, smart and livable

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Statement Morten Kabell, Mayor of Techni-cal and Environmental Affairs, City of Copen-hagen, writes about how his city manages to balance its growth and climate protection goals, and the important role that intelligent transport systems are playing in this.

Copenhagen is internationally recog-nized as one of the world’s most livable cities. It is safe, inspiring and diverse, with a mixture of old and new build-ings and many green spaces. More-over, the city has created a bicycle infrastructure like no other, used by 55 percent of Copenhageners every day.

As a metropolis and capital, Copen-hagen can and must assume its share of responsibility for climate protection and show at the same time that it is possible to combine growth, develop-ment and high quality of life with the reduction of CO2 emissions. Meeting these challenges is a matter of finding smarter, greener and healthier solu-tions. This is why Copenhagen focuses on innovative and sustainable con-cepts. The ecological agenda goes hand in hand with citizens’ needs because only a ‘green’ city will be a livable and healthy city.

Copenhagen has demonstrably achieved remarkable results in master-ing urban development challenges in the areas of environment, traffic safety and congestion. The city’s driving ambition is to become the first carbon-neutral capital by 2025.

ITS will be used to meet the future challenges facing Copenhagen. Besides carbon neutrality, one of Copenha-gen’s goals is to be the European leader in terms of green technology and innovation. These ambitious goals require creative solutions, also with regard to public transport. The City of Copenhagen is engaged in a lot of projects for the deployment of ITS solutions that will make public transport more attractive and less pol-luting. With Copenhagen taking the

lead, other cities all over the world will hopefully be inspired to create better conditions for cyclists and thus sup-port the environment and enhance public health and traffic conditions.

ITS solutions can improve traffic flow especially for cyclists, pedestrians and bus passengers, making it more advantageous for commuters to use these modes of transport. This is not only the most effective way of pro-moting mobility in Copenhagen, but also key to turning Copenhagen into a city with cleaner air, less noise and reduced CO2 emissions. ITS can help us improve traffic flow and road safety as well as promoting cycling and public transport. On the other hand, a ‘smart’ city should not be ‘too smart’ - we must use the new technology wisely.

In 2018, the City of Copenhagen will host the 25th ITS World Con-gress, which will be a central meet-ing point for the ITS community. In addition to the large indoor exhibi-tion area, our streets and squares will be available for the display of innova-tive ITS demonstration projects, per-fectly in line with the overall con-gress theme “ITS – towards quality of life”. We are looking forward to seeing you in Copenhagen.

Mayor Morten Kabell: “With Copenhagen taking the lead, other cities all over the world will hopefully be inspired to create better conditions for cyclists and thus support the environment and enhance public health and traffic conditions”

We must use the new technology wisely

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ITS magazine 1/2015 | Trends & Events

Traffic technology for cyclists and pedestrians In many parts of the world, the ongoing trend towards active mobil-ity encourages the responsible municipal authorities to optimize their concepts for non-motorized transport. For implementation they can rely on modern technological solutions, for example in the areas of traffic signal control or traffic detection.

Truly active assets

The motor-city of Detroit was possibly the last to expect to be hit by this trend; in Tel Aviv too it came as a kind of surprise; and even in Tokyo the authorities didn’t know right away how to deal with it. While the epicen-ter of the current cycling boom is located in Europe, as most experts agree, its waves are now spreading across almost the entire globe.

For the Siemens traffic engineering experts, this issue is anything but new. With this trend on their radar for quite some time, they have already been working for years on solutions that will help the municipal entities to bet-ter accommodate the demand for cycling infrastructure that keeps growing almost everywhere. Focus areas include not only separate traffic

signals, but also detection systems because accurate detection is the basis for more efficient management of the different transport modes.

“Actually, it is anything but easy to detect bicycle traffic,” explains traffic monitoring specialist Dr. Christoph Roth. “Conventional contact loops have not always provided good results because bicycles generate only weak

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Trends & Events | ITS magazine 1/2015

signals. But recently we have made substantial progress towards reliable detection – not least thanks to innova-tive technologies that are able to accu-rately detect all types of vehicles. This means that today, cyclists do not sim-ply have to wait anymore for the light to switch to green for their lane, but their presence actively influences the traffic signal switching pattern.“

All modern detector systems such as Heimdall, Sivicam or Wimag are perfectly equipped to detect bicycles at the stop line, even the latest full-carbon bikes. For counting bicycles on bike lanes, Sitraffic Wimag is the solu-tion of choice. This detection system uses two different recognition tech-nologies: Magnetic field technology ensures the gapless detection of all motorized traffic, while the additional integrated micro-radar device gener-ates a signal when the approaching vehicle is a bicycle.

Another true multi-talent is the MLR multi-lane radar detector: It does not only ensure that the light switches to green for cyclists soon after their arrival at an intersection, but is also highly suited for counting bicycle traf-fic on bike paths. “At the moment, this is a focus topic for our customers especially in Scandinavian countries,” reports Dr. Roth. Many municipalities are simply looking for a way to count how many people are using their bike paths – mostly with the objective of gauging the success of the measures that have been initiated for promoting bicycle use.

Substantial progress has also been made with detecting pedestrians. Two new versions of the overhead detector Heimdall have been specially designed for this purpose and provide the responsible authorities with conve-nient and cost-effective support in

optimizing the switching routines of traffic light installations near schools and preschools or at bus and tram stops. At crossings monitored by “Heimdall Pedestrian Crossing”, the pedestrian green phase can be set to a short base value, which can then be extended at any time to meet current demand. This leads to significantly enhanced signaling quality compared to traditional fixed-phase signaliza-tion. The advantages are obvious: On the one hand, situation-adapted sig-nalization makes crossings safer for pedestrians and increases their com-pliance with traffic light signals since they never have to wait very long. On the other hand, the system also benefits motorized traffic because it does away with unnecessarily pro-longed pedestrian green phases.

The implementation of new strate-gies for managing cycle traffic can rely on special small signal heads that allow separate red/green signalization for cyclists and thus help increase traf-fic efficiency and road safety. As Dirk Determann, head of product develop-ment for signal heads at Siemens, explains, “Separate signal phases for cyclists and motorists are opening up completely new options. Allowing cyclists to start a few seconds before motorized traffic helps minimize the risk of accidents caused by right-turn-ing motorists. Today, in bike-friendly countries, nearly one intersection in ten is equipped with such a switching routine.”

Of course, there is also a whole range of options for improving the management of pedestrian traffic. One such option is the equipment of pedestrian traffic lights with green-request buttons. “Only the installation of such buttons gives pedestrians their full and equal rights as members of our mobile society,” says Determann. “They don’t have to wait anymore until the light switches to green according to a pre-set routine. The mechanical or sensor button enables much more efficient green phase control.”

A creative variety of pedestrian traf-fic signal systems is the ‘countdown’ traffic light with the remaining red time indicated on a display. During a pilot test in Hamburg, the use of this device reduced the number of pedes-trians crossing on red by as much as 20 percent. The results of a test in Lis-

bon were even more impressing by far: When the symbols of a pedestrian traffic signal head were replaced by little dancing manikins, 81 percent fewer pedestrians were tempted to cross on red. Keeping pedestrians entertained while waiting is also the recipe for another German pilot proj-ect: In Oberhausen and Hildesheim, pedestrians waiting on either side of a crossing can engage in a display-based game of ping-pong to pass the time more agreeably.

A ‘countdown’ traffic light tested in Hamburg led to 20 percent fewer pedestrians cross-ing on red

Small signal heads for cyclists (top): Separate signal phases for cyclists make cycling safer and more efficient. In bike-friendly countries, nearly one intersection in ten is equipped with such a system

Multilane radar detector MLR (above): The multi-talent does not only ensure that the light switches to green for cyclists soon after their arrival, but is also highly suited for counting bicycle traffic on bike paths

22

ITS magazine 1/2015 | Trends & Events

Mobility Services (part 2) Being able to monitor systems remotely around the clock and to identify malfunctions bevor they even occur – these are just two of the many advantages offered by innovative remote services. The digital services ‘from a distance’ have already started to revolutionize the world of traffic infrastructure maintenance.

For Bakir Bijedic-Hoffmann, taking three or four round-the-world trips a day is nothing out of the ordinary. Half an hour ago he was busy checking a traffic controller in Würzburg, now he is working on the repair of a failed traffic controller in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, together with a local service technician. This is just ‘busi-ness as usual’ for the director of the Support Center of Siemens Intelligent Traffic Systems in Munich. Right from his desk he can log into the traffic con-trol systems of more than 250 cities across the globe, for instance in order to support local maintenance experts in fault diagnosis and troubleshooting.

The tool that makes all this possible is the so-called common Remote Ser-vice Platform (cRSP), a complex high-end system that meets the strictest security standards and is used also for monitoring power stations and large medical equipment, among oth-ers. Originally, the powerful platform was developed and implemented by Siemens’ Healthcare Sector. Thanks

to the well-established regular knowl-edge exchange between the compa-ny’s different units, especially between the service teams, the Siemens ITS experts – and their customers above all – are now among those who bene-fit from the unique advantages of this innovative technology. “By ourselves, we would never have been able to pull such a gigantic project through,” says Fred Kalt, who is responsible for world-wide service provision for Siemens traf-fic equipment (see the interview on page 30).

Smart service

The key customer benefit of the innovative remote service is evident: enhanced availability of the custom-er’s traffic control equipment. Remote access does not only shorten the response time in case of a failure, but also allows the implementation of totally new servicing concepts such as condition-based, predictive and prescriptive maintenance. For this pur-pose, the service experts use special software tools, so-called agents, which monitor the systems around the clock and scan the resulting enormous data volumes for any deviation from the norm.

As part of a condition-monitoring scheme, this allows the detection of imminent malfunctions bevor they actually cause trouble. The predictive maintenance concept goes even one step further: Data patterns and trends are analyzed and extrapolated to pre-dict the systems’ future condition, which enables the operator to initiate any corrective measures even earlier. And under a prescriptive maintenance

For customers, the key benefit is evident: enhanced availability of their traffic control equipment

23

Trends & Events | ITS magazine 1/2015

scheme, the software tool provides specific recommendations for action and actively supports the service experts at the Support Center in selecting the best solution.

Gapless monitoring of traffic con-trol equipment is certainly not the only highly appreciated function that can be implemented using the cRSP. The software delivery option, too, offers substantial time savings com-pared to conventional procedures. “Until recently, service technicians had to download the hot fixes provided by Siemens ITS once a month and then travel to every single control computer and install the update,” explains Bakir Bijedic-Hoffmann. “Now we can do overnight uploads of all fixes and even install them right away, if desired.” By

the way, on the new Sitraffic sX traffic controller such updates can even be installed without interrupting opera-tion, making dangerous ‘lights-out sit-uations’ a thing of the past.

And what about good old reactive maintenance, i.e. the elimination of malfunctions that have already mate-rialized? “In these cases too, our cus-tomers benefit from faster service thanks to our constantly updated data bases and our remote services,” says Bijedic-Hoffmann. This starts already with the very common case of a defec-tive red light at a signalized intersec-tion. In the past, the responsible ser-vice technician may have discovered only when already on site that he would need a bucket truck to reach the signal head and replace the defec-tive component. Today, he knows about this before setting out. And in case of complicated problems that cannot be solved on the first try, the technician simply calls the Support

Center in Munich. The experts at the center can then log into their col-league’s portable device or directly into the system and provide effective support in identifying the cause of the failure.

Another futuristic scenario that has already become reality in Siemens ser-vice provision for rail systems belongs to the area of ‘Augmented Reality’: The service technicians on site wear smart-glasses. When they look at the failed equipment, state-of-the-art image recognition software identifies the device, and a detailed 3D construc-tional drawing including repair instruc-tions appears as an overlay. The equip-ment does not even have to be opened because the system can look through walls, so to speak. “What is more, the technician does not need to call us anymore,” explains Bijedic-Hoffmann. “The smartglasses will automatically establish a connection with the Sup-port Center.”

Bakir Bijedic-Hoffmann (left): Right from his desk the director of the Support Cen-ter can log into the traffic control sys-tems of more than 250 cities across the globe, for instance to support local main-tenance experts in fault diagnosis and troubleshooting

24

ITS magazine 4/2014 | Partner & Projekte

ITS Academy jubilee Optimum control of the complex traffic flows on our roads calls for one thing in particular: in-depth understanding of the technol-ogies deployed. That’s exactly the knowledge that the Siemens ITS Acad-emy, the only one of its kind, has been teaching customers, employees and university students for more than sixty years now, using state-of-the-art train-ing methods.

No matter if the objective is to train service technicians or customer ser-vice staff in even more efficient main-tenance procedures, or to inform municipal transport officers or future traffic engineers about the strategic potential offered by modern technolo-gies – the Siemens ITS Academy offers tailored programs for all these target groups. For over 60 years now it has been a key element of the company’s Customer Services portfolio.

One important milestone in the Academy’s history was set in 1992 when the first in-house test center was installed. Already back then the insti-tute’s directors were fully aware that

product-specific training can only be as good as the training environment. In 1999, the Academy introduced the Learning Management System, which is still used today. This training concept has been the basis for as many as 1,200 courses with a total of 3,500 days of training and 10,500 attendees.

In 2007, two important changes set the course for the future. Firstly, the Training Center was integrated with the Support Center, providing the ITS Academy with immediate access to modern visualization systems. Sec-ondly, all training courses are now regularly certified by the Bavarian Technical Inspectorate (TÜV Bayern) –

a definite confirmation of their high value and sound concept.

Another seven-league step towards the future was the full modernization of the Training Center a few months before the jubilee celebrations in December 2014. Now customers, employees and students can attend the courses in an entirely updated setting that provides a truly real-life training environment. Of course, the ITS Academy still offers practical training on older controller models as well. After all, there are still numerous Siemens controllers out there that have reliably been doing their duty for 30 years or more.

Best practice

25

Partners & Projects | ITS magazine 1/2015

Harrogate The four existing traffic management systems controlling traffic on the highways in the British county of North Yorkshire are to be replaced by an integrated system. Among other things, the project calls for the implementation of adaptive controls at 43 locations in Harrogate and at 10 locations in Scarborough. They will be based on a Cloud com-puting solution that includes also an efficient parking space management system for both cities.

Higher efficiency in North Yorkshire

The highways in North Yorkshire will soon be included in an integrated traffic control system

Columbia A new holistic software solution is helping the South Caro-lina Department of Transport (SCDOT) to further enhance the performance of the traffic management systems on all of the US state’s freeways. For this purpose, Sitraffic Concert has been installed in replacement of sev-

eral separate, technically outdated systems and now enables uniform traffic monitoring and control across the state. Today, the data from all five Transportation Management Centers are aggregated at the con-trol center in Columbia, South Caro-lina’s capital.

Envigado The city in the province of Antioquia, which is part of Colombia’s metropolitan region Valle de Aburrá, has decided to have a new traffic con-trol system installed to better serve its 175,000 inhabitants. The control sys-tem is to run on a traffic computer

linked to a total of 24 controllers, which will allow traffic-actuated switching of the connected traffic signals. In addition, the contract between the city and Siemens includes professional training sessions for the city’s traffic management staff.

London Transport for London (TfL), the umbrella organization responsible for coordinating trans-port in the British capital, has placed an order for the moderniza-tion of the monitoring and service systems for its Low Emission Zone and the Congestion Charge. The project includes the replacement of stationary and mobile cameras for automatic number plate recog-nition and the associated monitor-ing and enforcement infrastructure. Implementation started in January 2015. Siemens has been entrusted with supplying the required equip-ment and systems as well as with operating the detection and enforce-ment infrastructure over the next five years.

Faster travel through South Carolina

Optimization project in Colombia

Upgrade on the Thames

On the freeways in South Carolina, a new holistic soft-ware solution is going to further enhance the effi-ciency of traffic management

26


Essay Sustainability must have priority in the future-oriented city. In the area of traffic, the related debate is currently dominated by solution approaches deriving from the development of innovative drive concepts. But what about the most natural and eco-friendly form of locomotion – walking? Stefan Kornmann, a partner at Albert Speer & Partner architects, sees pedestrian-friendly urban planning as the core of urban local mobility.

And what about the walkers?

27

Know-how & Research | ITS magazine 1/2015

On average, urban dwellers set out on foot three to four times per day. Most often, this is for shopping and leisure activities. Trips to and from the place of work or study now account for just 20 percent of journeys, while they used to be the most prevalent type. Even though many daily trips are short enough to manage in an environment-friendly way on foot or by bicycle, peo-ple often choose a motorized means of transport. City folk could completely eliminate a considerable number of motorized trips if suitable leisure and shopping options were available in their immediate vicinity.

These basic conditions present urban planning with three major tasks: The first is to adapt the urban struc-tures to the needs of pedestrians – keyword: short-hop city. Secondly, the technical and physical infrastructure must be improved. And, finally, we need to foster the public’s awareness and acceptance of walking as an everyday mobility option. Overall, it is not merely a matter of optimizing the pedestrian routes themselves, but of the holistic consideration of trip chains – because users of environment-friendly modes such as bus and rail, as well as motorists, all turn into pedestrians once they disembark.

The attractiveness of a city can be judged not least by the availability of exciting public spaces that pedestri-ans can engage using all their senses, and which can be used not only as a pedestrian mobility space but as a communications and leisure space as well. A clear case of what the ideal might look like is the Ramblas quarter in Barcelona. Inhabitants or visitors who want to explore a city on foot expect a city center or old town to have either a pedestrians-only zone or a traffic-calmed area. For urban planners this means that they have to create well-functioning route net-works that connect all parts of the area of settlement, as well as specially designed areas for pedestrians at spe-cial places. These design highlights should not only be placed in central locations but also in other urban quar-ters or in the suburbs, and include any high-profile urban and linking spaces such as river banks. A very successful example of this is the urban layout on

the banks on the Seine in Paris. In this context we need to develop intel-ligent concepts that will allow space to be wrested back from motorized transport without compromising urban mobility.

Today, the basic principle and core element of a sustainable functional system is the short-hop city. This prin-ciple gives center stage to full accessi-bility of essential utilities for existence such as shopping, retail and local rec-reation – all just a short trip away. The planners’ task is of course made more difficult in many places by the jeopar-dizing effects that Internet trading and consumer behavior have on local retail. On the other hand, the current strat-egy of developing the inner city to accommodate additional living space promotes the implementation of the short-hop city and hence the signifi-cance of walking, because there are fewer people who need to commute from and to the surrounding region.

Urban planning must support a new culture of auto-locomotive mobil-ity. The decision point for the choice of mode is located at the beginning of the mobility chain. At the moment of leaving the house, the individual’s decision must be influenced in favor of walking. This can be achieved by limiting the availability of private auto-mobiles and making their use less convenient. This calls for the imple-mentation of concepts under which the vehicle is not directly available at

the door and not every apartment building is necessarily furnished with a definite number of parking spaces. This is where urban planning is at work, developing creative models that have a positive impact on urban mobility.

The construction and engineering challenge for urban planners consists in offering a system of routes that, through its quality and design, has the effect of encouraging auto-locomotive mobility. The essentials include open, well-lit, easy to negotiate, clean and also sufficiently wide walkways, where people with prams, those with walk-ing difficulties and children on scoot-ers can all find ample space to move. Special attention is to be given to the planning of pedestrian crossings, which are not only a source of lost time for the pedestrians, but also the place where most accidents involving pedestrians occur. Intelligent solutions are required to facilitate crossing and make it safer: well-positioned over-bridges, pedestrian-oriented traffic signal phasing, unobstructed sight-lines and sufficient illumination to improve the visibility of pedestrians. Of course it is also important to alert motorists as to where encounters with pedestrians may take place, especially through the design of the public space, including the roadway itself.

Walking is more than merely cover-ing a certain distance. Pedestrians enliven our cities and communities, they promote communication and enrich the urban ambience. What is more, this mode of mobility naturally promotes both the health of the peo-ple and their awareness of and hence participation in events and processes in their surroundings. Compared with the detached view through a wind-shield, the pedestrian has far more detailed and intensive sensory impres-sions, which in turn increases identifi-cation with the city. Younger urban dwellers in particular show a high acceptance of urban auto-locomotive mobility culture. This trend should be supported by urban planning: with pedestrian-oriented concepts, which in turn link up with innovative public transport systems and car pooling options, for example under car-sharing schemes, because these too promote walking as part of the trip chain.

We need intelli-gent concepts that will allow space to be wrested back from motorized transport without compromising urban mobility

28

ITS magazine 1/2015 | Mobility & Living Space

On the roads with a bike Different countries – different customs. This is something that applies to cycling con-ditions too. Multiple UCI Track Cycling World Champion and Olympic gold medalist Miriam Welte has already covered many training kilometers on roads in every continent. Here she tells ITS magazine about her very different experiences in various parts of the world.

For cyclists, Colombia is a country of extremes. Nowhere else in the world is it so much fun to race. The velo-dromes are always sold out and the enthusiasm of the audience has no limits: They fire you up and celebrate if you win, no matter where you come from. But almost in the same breath I have to say that nowhere else in the world have I been so scared when training in normal traffic. I’m sure the car drivers mean no harm, but the conditions are absolutely cha-otic, especially in cities like Cali and Medellin. Although in some places separate cycle lanes have been cre-ated, no one respects them. If you

have to get through this kind of traf-fic, you keep on sending up prayers: Please, let me arrive in one piece!

In South Africa, until a few years ago, it was bad enough, though never quite so extreme. My feeling was that there it was really due to a total lack of consideration on the part of the drivers, who regularly passed us cyclists with only a few centimeters to spare. We then usually resorted to hav-ing our support vehicle drive behind us, near to the center of the road. The motorists didn’t find this very amus-ing because they were forced to give us a wide berth, but it kept us a little safer. These days, I’m pleased to say

that cycling conditions in South Africa have generally improved a bit. That is something that China could never claim to have achieved. Based on my own experience, I can only assess the developments in Beijing, and they are anything but bicycle-friendly. I have not ridden in the more rural areas of the country.

Apart from these three negative examples, most of my experiences have been good. Down Under, you could say that the Australian philoso-phy of life – “No worries, mate” – applies also in traffic. Drivers and cyclists have a wonderfully relaxed approach to each other. They simply

Welte’s travels

29

Mobilität & Lebensraum | ITS magazine 3/2014

give one another the space that is needed to get from A to B without any hassles. The same is true for Japan: There, too, things are easy for us cyclists, not only on the road but also on the almost flawless network of cycle paths. What is more, in Japan we can experience nature in its purest form: Just a short distance away from the larger towns it felt like being in the Palatinate Forest, a mountainous nature park in southwestern Ger-many. And even in the supposedly car-obsessed USA you can cycle with-out any worries, at least outside the major cities – for example, on the cycle paths around Los Angeles that run by the dams along the river.

But for me, my favorite cycling country is still in Europe. In any case, right now I cannot think of anything that could significantly improve the cycling culture in the Netherlands. There we always have the right of way, nobody honks at you even if you stray a little bit out of line, everybody is friendly. Add to this a perfect net-work of cycle lanes that lead us to our destinations on even shorter routes than the motorists. If you are training for road racing, you will certainly miss the mountains, but in my opinion that’s a very limited way of looking at it. As a sprinter, the flat terrain suits me very well.

On a dazzling spring morning, what could be more beautiful than to pedal a bicycle through the countryside, traveling from A to B under one’s own steam, breathing deeply, tuning the ears to the tweeting of the birds and the thrum of the chain. It’s good for the environment, promotes good health – and, to be sure, it’s bang up to the minute. Because cycling is not just an emission-free pastime, it also contributes to your very personal self-refinement.

Gone are the days when fitness gurus like Jane Fonda cavorted across our TV screens in their aerobics gear. That was a time when a fluffy-look-ing sweatband around the forehead served mainly as a show of ineffable cool. At least by the standards of the day.

The cool bands of today are, to use the lingo, “wearables”, and they do so much more: Electronic fitness wristbands or “Smart Body Analyz-ers” monitor us around the clock to ensure that we are doing everything just right and remaining fit despite the stresses of everyday life. The age of the quantified self has begun.

These sensor-controlled activity and fitness trackers use bioelectrical impedance analysis to constantly check the wearer’s major physical func-tions. The UV app warns against sunburn. Another digital recording android not only measures the cyclist’s number of pedal strokes, the dis-tance covered and the up-to-date body mass index, it is also waterproof and can be worn as either an armband or a necklace. And with the right ‘smart’ watch, you can also call up your inbox or take care of bank trans-fers during a fitness-boosting bike ride. Out and about in a wild land-scape but always with a finger on the pulse – what more could the mod-ern human need...?

The climb gets steeper. The legs are trembling, the blood throbbing in the temples ... and that rattle isn’t coming from the chain, but from your very lungs. But no cause for panic! Only when the heart-rate monitor, brain-function sensor and blood-pressure warning make it into the red is there any need for a break.

Pssssst! - a flat tire can put paid to any sporting schedule. For the time being, this risk renders cycling a second-class activity. At least while we are waiting for digital repair patches or pump apps.

A finger on the pulseWhen an activity perfectly combines mobility, recreation and fitness, hearts beat all the faster.

In the side-view mirrow

Olympic gold medalist Miriam Welte on the race track and on a training round in Mel-bourne, Australia: “Nowhere else in the world have I been so scared when training in normal traffic as in Colombia”

ITS magazine 1/2015 | Profile

30

“ The transformation has already begun”

much more efficiently than before. I am convinced that traffic engineering will soon look like the healthcare sector does already today: Siemens medical equipment is in fact no longer bought solely on the basis of its features, but also because of the unique services that our colleagues can provide.

So when developing your new ser-vices you have been able to benefit from the experience gained by your colleagues from other Siemens units?Not just from their experience, but also from the existing technical infra-structure. On our own as ITS we could never have built up an externally certi-fied high-end system such as the com-mon Remote Service Platform, with its advanced features and top-level safety standards. This has been an enormous competitive advantage, one that fell into our lap, so to speak, because we are part of a global company that has the right resources and experience. Incidentally, this is far from being the only example of the team spirit that prevails among the service staff from all Divisions of the company. Besides our Service Community, there is also an initiative called LeverageService@Siemens, under which the heads of the different service units meet up and jointly search for answers to cur-rent questions in service provision. We cooperate worldwide as Siemens Service, across all sectors. Take our spare parts scheme, which allows us to send parts out overnight to almost any place on earth: We operate it

together with colleagues from Health-care and Rail. Our efficient ticket tool for managing fault alerts comes from the service department of Energy. Of course, it’s easy to see how the customers benefit from the express shipment of spare parts, but in the case of new maintenance concepts, don’t you have a little more convinc-ing to do?True, but that’s not unusual when it comes to genuine innovations. Just think of the tablet computer. In the beginning, everyone thought: Why would I need one of those? It is too big for a mobile, too small for a lap-top. Today, we wonder how we used to manage our lives without such a device. The attitude towards Remote Services will probably develop in a similar way. The arguments for their use are definitely solid enough. Firstly, they help increase the avail-ability of traffic engineering systems, providing the municipality in ques-tion with a clear competitive advan-tage when it comes to convincing investors and citizens. Secondly, there are of course the cost savings that can be achieved if damages to the systems are prevented before they occur. Not to mention the eco-nomic benefits of safer and smoother traffic flows.

Do the municipalities in some parts of the world generally appear to be more open to the new services than others?

Interview Fred Kalt, who has global responsibility for service at Siemens Intelligent Traffic Systems, on the benefits of innovative ser-vice concepts, the coming transformation of the business from being a manufacturer of physical products to being a service provider, and on the team spirit that unites service employees across the company.

Mr. Kalt, thanks to innovative digital concepts such as Remote Services (see page 22), maintenance work carried out on traffic control equip-ment has changed fundamentally. Are we experiencing a kind of para-digm shift here? Please allow me a preliminary remark: What is changing are the methods used in service. The basic values of our service provision remain the same – reliability as well as proactive plan-ning. Our 1,200 technicians will con-tinue to be available for field service on our customers’ systems across the world, at any time and in any weather. We cannot change a faulty component from a distance. Period. However, the new technologies give us the opportu-nity to enormously increase our range of services and generate additional value for our customers: from condi-tion-based and predictive maintenance right through to performance-based contracts, for which the customer defines what the level of availability of the traffic systems should be – and we do the rest.

Does that mean your business is in the process of transforming itself from being a manufacturer of physical products to being a ser-vice provider?Yes, and the transformation has already begun. Because at the end of the day, our customers do not want devices that control traffic – they simply want traffic to flow. And that’s what our innovative Remote Services help us do

31

Profile | ITS magazine 1/2015

Biography

• 1982: High-school graduation, Gymnasium Birkenfeld/Nahe

• 1986: Degree in Information Technology & Electrical Engi-neering, RheinMain University of Applied Sciences

• 1986–1991: Telecommunica-tions sales engineer, Siemens AG Munich

• 1991–1993: Chief Operations Officer, Nigerian Cable Manu-facturing and Engineering Company Ltd., a Siemens joint venture based in Kano, Nigeria

• 1993–1994: M&A project manager

• 1995–1998: General Director, Fibre Optic Cable and Accesso-ries Ltd., a Siemens joint ven-ture based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

• 1999–2004: Head of the Carrier Network Integration Services Business Segment, Siemens AG Munich

• 2005–2008: Manager of the Intelligent Traffic Systems Business Unit, Siemens Ltd. China, Beijing

• Since 2009: Head of ITS Customer Services

Actually yes. For example, many traffic managers in the US really are so pre-occupied with themselves and their financial problems that they hardly can even think about introducing innovations at the moment. Of course, some German municipalities are in the same position, but in general people over here are more aware of the avail-able opportunities for optimizing sys-tem availability and traffic flow. Many cities also see the numerous benefits of performance contracts or operator models. However, the problem is often that the municipalities do not take into account the entire lifecycle costs, but keep looking at the initial investment cost and the operation costs as sepa-rate matters. That is why we’re always working with our colleagues from Siemens Financial Services to develop new solutions. For example, in the field of LED street lighting we offer our customers the following financing model: We install the lighting systems

at our expense – and then get a share in the energy savings.

The focus of this issue of the ITS magazine is Active Mobility. At the start of the millennium you were the head of the Siemens ITS team in Beijing. Is there anything that those European countries that are currently experiencing a cycling boom could learn from China as it was then? Honestly, I don’t think so, because the trend there has developed in precisely the opposite direction. When I was living in China, they had just started forcing bikes off the streets in favor of cars, sometimes in quite a radical way. I don’t think that European cities are planning to follow suit. Mr. Kalt, thank you for the interview.

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ITS magazine 1/2015 | Im Fokus

IMPRINT

ITS magazine · The Magazine for Siemens Intelligent Traffic SystemsPublisher: Siemens AG · Mobility Division · Mobility ManagementOtto-Hahn-Ring 6 · D-81739 MunichEditors: Stephan Allgöwer (responsible editor), Karin Kaindl, Roland Michali: Siemens AG, Communications and Governmental AffairsCoordination: Roland Michali: Siemens AG, Communications and Governmental AffairsCopywriting: Peter Rosenberger, Philip Wessa: www.bfw-tailormade.de · Eberhard Buhl(“In the side-view mirror”)Photographs: Getty Images p. 1, 26 . dpa picture-alliance p. 2, 10/11, 12, 13 bottom, 20, 25 top, 28 right . Achim Graf p. 3, 31 . Foto Kunz, Mutterstadt p. 5 bottom right . Corbis p. 6/7, 8/9, 12/13 top, 14 bottom, 25 center, 25 bottom, 28 left . Ursula Bach p. 14-18 . Ronny Hartnick p. 29 left . Photocase.com p. 29 rightAll other photographs: Siemens AGEnglish translation: Dr. Barbara GutermannSprachendienste GmbH, BiberachConcept & Layout: Agentur Feedback, Munich · www.agentur-feedback.dePrinting: G. Peschke Druckerei, MunichCopyright: © Siemens AG 2015All 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 in July 2015www.siemens.com/trafficISSN 2190-0302Order No. A19100-V355-B119-X-7600Dispo No. 22300 · K-Nr. 689313702 IF 04152.0

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