Abstract
Today, the technology is moving at a fast pace and has also changed the pace at which the commuter is moving. No longer is the commuter ready to waste time and resources while travelling. This has led to a revolution in the transport sector. ICT, smart devices, and different enabling technologies make intelligent transport systems (ITS) a reality. If well implemented, they can save time and money, help to reduce the environmental threats, and also create business opportunities for many. Today's era is an era of revolution, technological advances, Internet, digitalization, mobile communications, big data, and an era of harnessing the potentials of Cloud Computing. Realizing the benefits of each of these and their utilization and need, a global potential for a powerful and less costly ITS has to be created. This chapter shall give a complete insight into the ITS: its history, components, benefits, issues, and challenges. It would also discuss the future that is in store for ITS but with a realization that the environment is not at stake.
TopNeed For Its
Smart cities needed a smart and a smooth flow of goods, people and services over a transport network. An increase in the population has led to an increase in vehicular traffic on the roads. This has led to several problems like traffic jams, increased accident rates, environmental threats and many more. Though we are advancing in several ways, but the villages, towns and even cities are lacking a proper road infrastructure, this problem being prevalent in the developing countries. Thus, to tackle the congestion on roads which leads to increased travel times, and industry costs, to provide a controlled guidance and support in the form of display boards, to make the transportation system more secure, user friendly and safer, the need for ITS grew. The greater the traffic jam, more is the smoke emitted from vehicles and greater the negative impact on the environment. ITS comes as a solution to all these hurdles. Truly, ITS can be described as a revolution in the transport sector to smoothen the way people commute and efficient ITS shall result in an improved life for the citizens of the country. Also, the intelligent transport market shall be driven by the need to improve safety of the commuters by reducing the road accidents. Growth in population and rise in the vehicular traffic dives the need for an effective traffic management system.
Digital era has led to a revolution in the way Information and Communication technologies (ICT) and its applications in every sector is being perceived today. Well, w.r.t. the intelligent Transport systems, it has now been extended from being just a transport information system to the extent that it can now control the traffic congestion, manage the traffic, devise policies, integrate various means and the supporting infrastructure, provide help and support through apps to the passengers by providing information about the best route, weather conditions, traffic density, alternate means, seat booking, pooling facility and so many more of the likes. But it must be noted that various factors like weather forecasting also play a role in the information chain as mentioned in (Sherry, 2001; Oakland, 2003; Keith, 2001).