Through the
Digital Agenda and further the European Strategy for Data, the European Union
has pointed at digitalization as a key element in future European development.
Digitalization and data-driven innovation is expected to bring enormous
benefits for citizens, not least within the mobility sector where
digitalization will contribute to safer and more efficient transport with far
less impact on the environment than what we currently see. Digitalization is a
prerequisite for electric and automated mobility which are important parts of
the European Green Deal. A growing economy and an increasing demand for
transport of goods and people also meet serious limitations to the possibility
to expand the transport networks. In large parts of Europe investments in
infrastructure are limited to elimination of bottlenecks and safety hazards.
Increasing capacity by adding infrastructure has become very complicated and
brings tremendous costs. Instead increased capacity has to follow from better
use of investments already made which can be achieved through further
digitalization. In addition, the users of the transport network will experience
new and better services through access to digital means. Hence digitalization
of road transport and new services provided by road operators and other actors
can make significant contributions to Europe. However, experience shows that
planning and budgets from a national perspective do not give a sufficiently
high priority to multi-national cross-border investments to equip the European
road corridors with the system and services needed and possible. Data driven
innovation is hampered by lack of harmonization and scattered development.
Therefore,
the European ITS Platform has developed a set of recommended actions for Core
Network Corridor digitalization that go beyond the responsibilities of national
authorities and contribute to the build of a European road transport system.
These actions require European cooperation to take place and should be
considered as necessary building blocks of coming European initiatives
involving road authorities and operators.
