Fifth FOT-Net Stakeholders Workshop

The theme of the 5th Stakeholders workshop on 24 March was “Deployment Roadmap: how FOTs are used to reach policy goals”. It provided a forum for discussion on deployment best practices and the role of public authorities in the definition and implementation of FOTs. Public Authorities have a key interest in FOT results as these will support them in establishing the right policy framework for the deployment of ITS. 

Different approaches for the use of FOTs towards deployment were presented from Europe US and Japan each with their particularities and challenges. Some approaches are more innovation oriented but not necessarily more harmonised while others are embedded in a policy framework but could benefit from the contribution of other stakeholders for defining the FOT research programme and questions.

Participants also discussed the important role of dissemination in FOTs by:

  • linking politicians to experts. There is a need to involve policy makers in the process and raise their awareness as they are the ones defining mobility goals and means. Experts can help them avoid taking uninformed decisions about mobility;
  • using the FOTs as an awareness raising activity and training as regards those who will subsequently be using the systems that are being tested as well as those who can set an example e.g. politicians. Drivers could be used as role models and to generate acceptance;
  • creating support from stakeholders. FOTs can provide a safe platform for all stakeholders to work together.

European FOT related activities also looked into how the project results can be transferred to stakeholders: what is the exploitation plan what will be done after the FOT is completed to ensure deployment?

FOT-Net also took this opportunity to highlight its new activities: the revision of the FESTA methodology” the plans for FOT knowledge transfer (seminars) and the development of methodological tools to identify stakeholder needs.

Presentations are available here.

 

JAMA visits ERTICO

JAMA” the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association visited ERTICO last March. It was represented by members of the ITS Subcommittee Smart Systems Experts Group: Masao Fukushima and Seiki Takahashi from Nissan and Masayoshi Ito from Mitsubishi.

The delegation presented the Cooperative ITS development activities in Japan. In that context traffic safety remains an important issue with trends in Japan showing that many of the accidents involve vulnerable road users: pedestrians bicyclists and elderly drivers. Many of the accidents are known to be related to rear-end collisions lane departure pedestrians and intersections. To counteract and decrease these patterns it is believed that cooperative systems play a crucial role. Current and future ITS developments in Japan will focus on vulnerable road users and traffic safety on minor roads such as in residential areas.

The national initiative ITS-Safety 2010 (a national project by public and private sectors) which has been focusing on updating Cooperative Driving Safety Support Systems using V-I V-V has been an effective way to promote ITS and it is expected that the next stage of ITS-Safety 2010 will tackle these remaining safety problems.

For more information contact Irina Silva.

 

Link to original Article

http://www.ertico.com/fot-net-news-fifth-fot-net-stakeholders-workshop-and-jama-visits-ertico/

Original Publication Date: Thu 21 Apr 2011