Instrumental role of Polis in successful project proposal on open ITS systems

The concept for POSSE originated in the Polis Traffic Efficiency & Mobility Working Group, more specifically a meeting in October 2010 at which the two main initiatives on open standards and specifications in Europe (UTMC in UK and OCA in German speaking part of Europe) were brought together by Polis. The meeting generated significant interest and the members decided that Polis should work further on this topic. Under the leadership of Reading, the POSSE proposal was prepared and submitted under the Interreg IVC programme call.

POSSE's main objectives are to promote open standards and specifications for ITS in Europe, notably by supporting and building the capacity of several cities (including some Polis members) to move towards this: Pisa, Burgos, Norwegian Public Roads Administration/Trondheim, the Czech Transport Research Centre/CDV, La Spezia and Klaipeda.

POSSE has three parallel streams of work:

• The first concerns the exchange of experience and knowledge transfer on open standards and specifications between the lead partners (UTMC, OCA & Reading) and the follower partners. This will be achieved through site visits, technical workshops and general mentoring. This strand of work will be the core activity of the project.
• The second stream involves the wider dissemination of the concept of open ITS systems and services throughout Europe and the promotion of POSSE. This will be undertaken through typical dissemination and communication activities such as newsletters, national workshops, European wide dissemination events, website and an open ITS systems forum.
• The third stream will deal with the future direction of open ITS systems and standards in Europe, notably in view of moving towards some sort of European convergence (as ITS operates in a European/global market) and consideration of important ITS developments, eg, cooperative systems.

Important outputs from POSSE include:

• Report on study of usage of UTMC and OCIT/OTS specifications
• Good practice guide to implementation of open ITS systems and standards
• Open ITS systems and standards guidelines
• Open ITS systems forum comprising 10-15 representatives of local/regional authorities (non-POSSE partners) with an interest in open standards and specifications
• National workshops organised by the follower partners
• Implementation plans for the follower cities to roll out open specifications and standards and implementation plans for lead partner on the ongoing management, maintenance and extension of the open specifications and standards.

Opportunity for other Polis members to benefit from POSSE

Polis members with an interest in open standards and specifications for ITS can apply to join the open ITS systems forum which Polis will set up and coordinate within POSSE.

For further information about POSSE, please contract Suzanne Hoadley.