Open In-Vehicle Platform Architecture for the provision of ITS services and applications
Several road transport telematics applications have been regulated or imposed on all vehicles to improve road safety, prevent fraud and ensure interoperability. For instance the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) was established by the interoperability of electronic road toll systems Directive. Another example is the digital tachograph installed in all new EU commercial vehicles since 1 May 2006 to record the driving times and rest periods of professional drivers.
Implementation of the interoperability of electronic road toll systems (Directive 2004/52/EC and Decision 2009/750/EC) is one of the goals of the ITS Action Plan. EETS and its components are dealt with in Action Area2: "Continuity of traffic and freight management ITS services on European transport corridors and in conurbations" as well as in Action Area 4: "Integration of the vehicle into the transport infrastructure". Action 4.1 aims for the "Adoption of an open in-vehicle platform architecture for the provision of ITS services and applications, including standard interfaces".
The use of ITS components or systems is stipulated in several existing or planned legal acts and voluntary agreements. However, there are several barriers for implementing and enforcing them, such as security/privacy, data protection, harmonisation needs, interoperability, protection against fraud/abuse etc.
Establishing common architecture and standards would allow tackling these barriers once and for all.
As an important step to achieve this goal, the European Commission has contracted a study on an Open In-Vehicle Platform Architecture.
As part of the study a workshop was held at the ITS Conference 2010 to inform the professional stakeholders about the action foreseen in the ITS Action Plan relative to the definition of an open in-vehicle platform architecture for the provision of ITS services and application and to collect their reaction on this topic.