GNSS road pricing a step closer

GNSS road pricing a step closer. Today, road transport faces major challenges such as the ever-increasing need for safety, as well as for reduced congestion and pollution.
February 23, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

2462 IRF BPC bringing GNSS-based road pricing a step closer to maturity

Today, road transport faces major challenges such as the ever-increasing need for safety, as well as for reduced congestion and pollution. These problems are particularly critical in highly populated zones, notably big cities and their surrounding areas.

Different schemes are being proposed to improve the situation, including road pricing systems to automatically charge drivers for their use of road infrastructures.

The booming use of Personal Navigation Devices (PND) opens new and challenging opportunities for the implementation of innovative satellite-based applications beyond basic navigational functions. Apart from road pricing systems, these include other promising applications such as Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD) schemes for the insurance sector and leasing companies and the like, as well as Value Added Services (VAS) such as local mobility information.

Nevertheless, there are still several obstacles to larger scale uptake of such extended services based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technologies. For example, the technical and economical feasibility of large scale road pricing based on GNSS only is not yet proven. Likewise, the practicalities of using the same on-board equipment for different applications have to be established.

Given the high potential of key applications, the GINA (GNSS for INnovative road Applications) project, co-funded by the 2465 European Commission and the European GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), was recently launched to address current obstacles with a view to bringing road pricing and road VAS a step closer to reality.

Over the next 24 months, the 12 project partners, coordinated by the Spanish company GMV, will conduct analysis to demonstrate that the adoption of the European GNSS (currently EGNOS, and Galileo from 2013) for road pricing and VAS is both technically and commercially feasible.

Following an in-depth analysis of real end user requirements, GINA will initiate the implementation of a nation-wide demonstration in the Netherlands. In the second stage of this project, 100 cars equipped with dedicated equipment will circulate on the Dutch road network for a period of six months. By the end of the project, new business opportunities should be clearly defined for the road sector.

The future looks very promising for the installation of GNSS applications in both urban areas and at national level. Hopefully, GINA will trigger wider interest in adopting the GNSS approach from EU cities and countries.
Highway & Network Management

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Samoter aims to galvanise Italian construction machine sales
    September 20, 2013
    The forthcoming 29th edition of Samoter, the Italy-based International Triennial earthmoving and building machinery exhibition, represents the perfect opportunity for Italian construction machine manufacturers to showcase their expertise to leading national and international industry figures. The keenly awaited show taking place alongside Alsphaltica in Verona from 8-11 May 2014 could provide a huge boost to the tough domestic Italian construction machine sales market while, also, boosting vital export l
    Read More
  • TRA 2014 showcases the best of cutting-edge transport research and thinking
    July 1, 2014
    Despite tight finances due to the current global economic climate, the recent Transport Research Arena (TRA) 2014 show in Paris showed how innovative transport research, largely using cutting-edge ITS, is creating safer and smarter highways of the future. Guy Woodford reports How far can you drive around a car race track with no other vehicles on it on half a glass of fuel while attempting to maintain a speed of 60kph? After taking up the challenge offered by the Eco Driving Simulator using SiVIC (Simulatio
    Read More
  • IRF launching Young Professionals Programme
    August 17, 2015
    The International Road Federation (IRF) Geneva is reaching out to the next generation of leaders and professionals by launching the IRF Young Professionals Programme (IRF-YPP) The IRF YPP provides young professionals involved with the road and mobility sectors a platform for communicating with their peers, exchanging ideas, getting involved and contributing new ideas to the road sector, and engaging with the IRF. The mission of the IRF-YPP is to present young professionals with opportunities for their
    Read More
  • Efficient milling and re-paving on historic Florence streets
    February 1, 2013
    Maintenance of roads in historic districts is a challenge for communities around the world. The sanctity of the surroundings limits the amount of re-engineering and widening that can be considered. Improvement options typically are limited to repairs. Yet repairs also have an impact. The historic areas usually attract tourists and their crucial economic contributions. If the street repairs create too much of an inconvenience, tourists are likely to avoid the area and a negative economic impact and a loss of
    Read More

Highlighted Content