GATS is an innovative concept for a driverless, cooperative traffic management and control transport system, capable of “driving” millions of vehicles optimally, simultaneously and automatically over a virtually unlimited geographic region, while at the same time tending to the requirements of each individual vehicle and its passengers in real time. GATS is driven by the needs for increased travel safety, reduced congestion and pollution, and elimination of driving related stress and fatigue. Large scale implementation of the GATS could save Europe hundreds of billions of Euro in lost work hours, petrol and, most importantly, avoid accidents and save tens of thousands deaths and injuries on urban and interurban roads. GATS’ objective is to research, develop and demonstrate of a new, automated, integrated system for road transport that will make transport much more efficient, effective, safe and environmentally friendly. The project aims at achieving the following benefits: Improved safety through elimination of most accidents caused by the human factor, by continuous monitoring of road and vehicle safety conditions and by real-time malfunction handling. Improving quality of life by reducing congestion, trip duration and pollution and by eliminating driving-associated stress and fatigue. Improved and new services for road users that will greatly increase the quality and reliability of information available on vehicles: location, road conditions and environment. Greater transport efficiency, better utilizing of existing infrastructure and managing varying demands dynamically in real time. Open, interoperable and scalable system architecture that allows easy upgrade. Due to its inherently decentralized and modular architecture, the system will be easily and simply implemented in small contained areas such as airports, fairs and campuses, as well as in larger areas such as local, national and international road systems. Universality, very high flexibility and adaptability to a large variety of applications, roads, vehicles, countries, and regulations while integrating all of these elements into ONE COHERENT UNIT.
A 25 member strong and diversified team from industry, academia and acclaimed European research institutes are drawn together in a single integrated project to achieve these ambitious goals. The project includes leading European transportation research institutes and a representative from China Academy of Transportation Sciences. For more information: http://www.global-transportation.com/ |