Regions are growing in populations, which has required bolstering both existing and new infrastructure, including transport infrastructure systems. These growing populations lead to rising in traffic congestion, increased travel time, higher air pollution levels, and more fuel consumption. To address these challenges there is need of sustainable and efficient traffic solutions such as integration of new technologies (ITS). In the transport infrastructure, ITS is required to enhance safety, mobility and environmental efficiency while boosting regional and local economies. ITS is used across variety of transportation forms, including car parks, traffic lights, toll booths, bridges, and roads. It also is applied to build interconnected transportation systems with open communication between devices and vehicles.

ITS offers real time information about traffic and public transportation conditions to reduce the travel time and make the travel easier, safer, and smarter. Most smart city projects include the following key ITS applications -

  • Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS): To help control traffic and improve efficiency ATMS can: adjust traffic lights and other signals in real-time; dynamically adjust rates on toll roads; provide traffic information.
  • Advance Vehicle Control and Safety System (AVCSS): To promote safe driving, AVCSS can: automatically control a vehicle, preventing or minimizing human driving errors, help drivers avoid or quickly react to hazardous conditions, provide cruise control, lane keeping and parking assistance.
  • Advanced Public Transportation System (APTS): To improve the safety of public transportation riders APTS uses: real-time passenger information systems, automatic vehicle location systems, bus arrival notification systems, systems providing priority to buses at intersections.
  • Commercial Vehicle Operation (CVO): CVO is used for automatic vehicle monitoring specifically for commercial vehicles such as buses, ambulances, trucks, and taxis. Apart from monitoring other functions of CVO includes fright administration, commercial vehicle administrative process, Weigh-In-Motion (WIM), roadside CVO safety, on-board safety monitoring, hazardous material planning and incident response.


Traffic data collection, data transmission, traffic data analysis, and traveler information are some key guiding principles the ITS follows. A smart network of interconnected sensors and smart devices can lead to a more sustainable, efficient and robust city center.

Smart transportation is highly needed as it can broadly influence almost every aspect of the smart city’s operation on daily basis. For instance, trip route planning is helpful, particularly in large, crowded cities. Trip planning applications and service providers afford route recommendations based on relatively shorter paths and traffic congestion.