The CITI Project – Australia’s First Cooperative Intelligent Transport System Test Facility for Safety Applications

Abstract

Cooperative Intelligent Transport System (CITS) is the term generally defined as a form of Intelligent Transport in which information is shared amongst vehicles or between vehicles and roadside infrastructure such as traffic signals. Sophisticated CITS applications have been developed that increase the “time horizon” as well as the quality and reliability of information available to the drivers about their immediate environment, other vehicles and road users. This has the potential to greatly improve road safety, reduce greenhouse gases and improve network efficiency. Whilst a number of communication platforms such as the 3G or 4G mobile phone network can be used to carry communications between vehicles and roadside units, specific dedicated short range radio channels in the 5.9 GHz area of the radio spectrum are planned to be used by most major jurisdictions overseas. In Australia, use of the 5.9 GHz band is currently embargoed and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has recognised its future potential use for CITS, however a final determination on the use of the spectrum and its licensing is yet to be made (NTC 2012).