Round Table on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)

Palais des Nations, Room VII

In the framework of the sixty-sixth session of the UNECE Inland Transport Committee, a Round Table on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) will be held at the Palais des Nations, Room VII, on Wednesday, 18 February 2004, from 3 to 6 p.m. (see  programme).

The Round Table will analyze the state of the art of the new ITS technologies and the major research and development projects that are currently being undertaken in this area throughout the world, focusing on in-vehicle intelligent technologies.

In-vehicle ITS technologies have developed rapidly in recent years and several projects, aiming to improve vehicle safety and therefore road traffic safety, have been undertaken. Some of those technologies, such as adaptive cruise control systems, have already been incorporated into the UNECE Vehicle Regulations and into vehicles themselves. Others, such as automatically commanded steering systems, are in the process of being included into Regulations.

Under the general view that ITS is an important tool to improve vehicle and road traffic safety as well as the comfort of drivers and passengers, high level officials of the Governments and the car manufacturing industries of the three most advanced regions of the world, North America, Europe and Japan, will present their current ITS technologies. Worldwide research on potential benefits and risks of the ITS technologies will also be presented. Finally, the Round Table will address the importance of in-vehicle ITS for the future and the possible solutions to permit an easy incorporation of these technologies to the legislative framework.

The Round Table has been prepared by the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29), which in the last two years has been following the development of in-vehicle ITS technologies and working on the question how best to insert them into the existing vehicle regulatory framework without imposing restrictions to their future technical development.

The Round Table is open to the public.

For further information please contact:

José Capel Ferrer, Director,

Helmut Lehmacher, or Juan Ramos García

Transport Division

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

Palais des Nations

CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Phone: +41 (0)22 917 2401 /2434 /1998

Fax: +41 (0)22 917 0039

E-mail: jose.capel.ferrer@unece.org
helmut.lehmacher@unece.org
juan.ramos.garcia@unece.org

Ref: ECE/TRANS/04/P01