Intelligent Road Transport Systems
PURPOSE: to ensure the coordinated and coherent deployment of interoperable Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in the Union in order to accelerate the digital transition and promote smarter mobility in the EU.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Directive (EU) 2023/2661 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2010/40/EU on the framework for the deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems in the field of road transport and for interfaces with other modes of transport.
CONTENT: this Directive revises Directive 2010/40/EU with a view to adopting a new framework for the deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in the field of road transport.
Subject matter and scope
The revised directive aims to take account of technological developments, such as connected and automated mobility, on-demand mobility applications, and multimodal transport. It also aims to accelerate the availability and enhance the interoperability of digital data that feed services, such as multimodal journey planners and navigation services. This will allow vehicles and road infrastructure to communicate with one another, for example to warn about unexpected events, such as a traffic jam ahead.
This Directive provides for the availability of data and the deployment of ITS services within the priority areas, with, for data, the specific geographical coverage set out in Annex III and, for ITS services, the specific geographical coverage set out in Annex IV
The following will constitute priority areas for the development and use of specifications and standards:
- Priority area I: Information and mobility ITS services;
- Priority area II: Travel, transport and traffic management ITS services;
- Priority area III: Road safety and security ITS services;
- Priority area IV: ITS services for cooperative, connected and automated mobility.
The revised law extends the scope of the previous directive to cover emerging services, such as multimodal information, booking and ticketing services (for example, apps to find and book journeys that combine public transport, shared car, or bike services), communication between vehicles and infrastructure and automated mobility.
The new directive also sets targets for the digitisation of crucial information, such as that on speed limits, roadworks and multimodal access nodes, and the delivery of essential services, such as information on road safety.
The necessary types of data, including access conditions for tunnels and bridges, speed limits, traffic circulation plans, permanent access restrictions, road closures, roadworks, temporary traffic management measures, as well as the critical services, such as road safety-related traffic information services, to be made available across the Union, are set out in the annexes to the new directive.
The new law retains the framework character of the 2010 ITS directive and the various technical interventions by way of implementing and delegated acts.
Working programme
By 21 December 2024, the Commission will, after consulting the European ITS Advisory Group and relevant stakeholders, adopt an implementing act, establishing a working programme.
Before each subsequent five-year extension of the power to adopt delegated acts, the Commission will adopt implementing acts establishing a new working programme.
Application of the specifications to ITS deployment
Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the specifications adopted by the Commission in accordance with the Directive are applied to ITS applications and services, when deployed, in accordance with the principles set out in Annex II.
The adoption of specifications, the issuing of mandates for standards and the selection and deployment of ITS applications and services will be based on a needs assessment involving all relevant stakeholders, in accordance with the following principles. These measures must: (i) be effective; (ii) be cost-efficient; (iii) be proportionate; (iv) support continuity of services; (v) deliver interoperability; (vi) respect existing national infrastructure and network characteristics; (viii) promote equality of access; (ix) support maturity; (x) provide quality of timing and positioning; (xi) facilitate intermodality; (xii) ensure transparency and trust.
Standards
The revised Directive stipulated that the necessary standards to provide for interoperability, compatibility and continuity for the deployment and operational use of ITS will be developed in the priority areas and for the priority actions. To that effect, the Commission, after consulting the ITS Committee, will request the relevant standardisation bodies to make every necessary effort to adopt these standards rapidly.
Data protection
Data that constitute personal data within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be processed under this Directive only insofar as processing is necessary for the performance of the ITS applications, services and actions listed in Annex I to the Directive, in order to ensure road safety or security and to improve traffic, mobility or incident management.
Reporting
Member States will submit to the Commission by 21 March 2025 a report on the implementation of this Directive and of the delegated acts adopted on the basis thereof, as well as on their main national activities and projects regarding the priority areas and regarding the availability of data and services listed in Annexes III and IV. No later than 31 December 2028, the Commission will review certain provisions and Annexes III and IV and may, if appropriate, submit a proposal for amendment.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 20.12.2023.
TRANSPOSITION: 21.12.2025.