Weight in Motion Implementation

Development of weigh-in-motion (WIM)

4.1. Low speed WIM (LS-WIM)

For the reasons described above, and in order to increase the efficiency of the controls
by partially automated weighing, the low speed WIM concept was developed and
implemented. LS-WIM consists of using wheel or axle scales, mainly equipped with
load cells – the most accurate technology – and installed in concrete or strong asphalt
platforms of at least 30 to 40 m in length. The software of the data acquisition and
processing system is designed to analyze the signal of the load cells, taking into
account the speed, and to accurately calculate the wheel or axle loads. Such systems
are installed either outside the traffic lanes, on weighing areas, or in toll gates or any
other controlled area. The operating speed is generally in the range of 5 to 15 km/h.

The International Organization for Legal Metrology [7] published an international

recommendation to perform model type approval tests, and to certify automatic
weighing instruments for road vehicles, which applies to LS-WIM systems. LS-WIM
has been legally implemented for enforcement in the UK since 1978, as well as in
several North American States and Canadian and Australian provinces. In the late
1990s and early 2000s, several European countries (Germany, France, Belgium, etc.)
and Japan authorized LS-WIM for enforcement. The accuracy of LS-WIM systems
can be 3 to 5%.

4.2. High speed WIM (HS-WIM)

High speed WIM means that sensors, installed in one or more traffic lanes, measure
axle and vehicle loads while these vehicles are traveling at normal speed in the traffic
flow. HS-WIM allows the weighing of almost all trucks crossing a road section, and
either individual measurements or statistics to be recorded.
The main advantages of HS-WIM are:

•
it is a fully automated weighing system;
 •
it can record all vehicles — whatever their speed, number of axles, or time of
the day;

•
no additional infrastructure is required, and it can be installed on good
pavements and road sections according to the European specifications of
WIM [4];
•
it is a reasonable cost system.

HS-WIM systems have some limitations however. The main issue is the accuracy,
which depends highly on the road surface evenness and pavement characteristics – as
well as truck suspension performances – because of the dynamic interaction between
road and trucks. In addition, as road sensors are exposed to whole traffic loads and are
mounted on the pavement surface, they may have a limited lifetime if the pavement
failed. A difficult issue is the calibration and accuracy assessment of HS-WIM
systems [1], [3]. The accuracy of HS-WIM systems varies from B(10) to D(25),
according to the COST323 European specifications ([4], i.e. 10 to 25% for
approximately 95% of the gross weights. The full range of accuracy classes is A(5) to
E(30).
HS-WIM technology can be used [4] for:
•
Pavement and bridge engineering, i.e. to record traffic load patterns which are
used for: (i) design code and conventional load models calibration, (ii)
infrastructure monitoring and assessment, in fatigue or against extreme loads,
and (iii) inspection and reinforcement strategies.
•
Traffic data collection, statistics on freight transport, economical surveys, and
sometime road pricing based on real traffic loads and volume, e.g. the “shadow
toll”1;
•
Screening overloaded trucks prior to a checking area equipped with static
weighing or LS-WIM devices; an accurate pre-selection in the traffic flow
 widely increases the efficiency of the controls and avoids stopping legally
loaded, or empty, vehicles.

5. WIM technologies
WIM systems were introduced in the United States in the mid 1950s. Since then,
many developments and progresses have taken place, while various sensors and
techniques have been introduced and implemented.

5.1. Road sensors WIM systems

5.1.1. Bending and load cell plates

The first WIM sensors were instrumented plates (scales) fixed in a frame mounted on
the road. They were developed and implemented in the mid 1950s until the late 1970s
(Fig. 5). Depending on the plate width, they can be wheel or axle scales. The
advantage of these sensors is that they get the full tire imprint on the scale at once,
because their extent is longer than the tire imprint length (i.e. at least 40 cm). Thus
they are able to measure directly the wheel/axle load. Moreover, they may be
calibrated with standard masses on site, and thus comply with the traditional
metrological requirements for legal approval [7]. To date, these are the only sensors
approved for enforcement at low speed. At high speed, the accuracy may be B(10) to
C(15) on a smooth pavement.

1. Download : Download high-res image (389KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 5. HS-WIM bending plates installed in a road section.
These plates present major disadvantages, however, such as requiring extensive civil
engineering work for their installation. This causes some damage to the pavements
(large holes or grooves), and they may be dangerous on heavily trafficked highways if
the plate comes loose. These sensors are forbidden on motorways and main highways
in some areas.

For operational and economical reasons, the current trend is to abandon progressively
the use of plates, and to adopt instead the use of strip sensors.

5.1.2. Strip sensors

WIM strip sensors were introduced in the early 80s. A strip sensor consists of a
narrow bar, a strip or wire with a section of a few mm2 or cm2, and a length equal to a
traffic lane width (or half of it), mounted in a groove transversally to the lane (Fig. 6).
These sensors measure the pressure, strain or force variation when a wheel or axle
passes over it. A signal processing algorithm calculates the loads with respect to the
vehicle speed and estimated tire characteristics. There are piezo-ceramic, piezo-quarz
and piezo-polymer strip sensors, and some fiber optics strips. In the 80s and early 90s,
capacitive strips were also used.

1. Download : Download high-res image (220KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 6. HS-WIM with piezo-ceramic strip sensors (RN4, eastern of France).
The main advantage of these sensors is that they are cheaper than the plates —
particularly when taking into account the installation cost. They also require less civil
engineering work and thus cause less traffic disturbance and pavement damage.
However these sensors do not measure directly the wheel or axle loads, as the tire
imprint exceeds the size of the sensor surface, and they require an integration process.
Moreover, their behavior and response depends on the pavement characteristics
(above all its modulus). Therefore they are more sensitive to their environment and
conditions of use, and they cannot be calibrated under a metrological procedure
(standard masses). The accuracy varies from B(10) to D(25).

5.2. New WIM technologies

5.2.1. Multiple sensor (MS-)WIM

If HS-WIM is used for vehicle mass or static axle load estimation, errors result from
the difference between the static wheel or axle loads and the impact forces applied to
the pavement – and thus to the road sensors – while the vehicle is in motion.

This dynamic effect was studied in detail in the OECD/DIVINE project [6], and it was
shown that, on a good (even or smooth) pavement, the ratio between the dynamic load
and the static load may reach 1.1 to 1.15 for axle load and gross weight respectively,
and up to 1.2 and 1.25 or more on average or rough pavements. Therefore, even the
best WIM sensor cannot accurately measure wheel or axle load – and thus gross
vehicle weight – with accuracy better than this difference.
For overload detection and enforcement such a tolerance would be much too high. To
cope with this issue, in the late 80s the UK's Transport Research Laboratory (TRL)
suggested the concept of multiple sensor WIM (MS-WIM), which consists of
installing several road sensors at uniform or non-uniform spacing along a road section
of 10 to 50 m approximately (i.e. a MS-WIM array, Fig. 7). For a given axle, each
sensor will measure the axle load (or force), which varies with time and distance. The
axle is bouncing along the road slightly — although lift-off only rarely occurs on very
rough roads. The sensor array allows for the multiple measurement of the wheel load.
1. Download : Download high-res image (183KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 7. MS-WIM (multiple sensor) array on the A31 motorway (East of France).
However, the sensors cannot be installed randomly along the pavement. Their spacing
(if uniformly distributed) needs to take into account the mean vehicle speed and eigen
frequencies to avoid a sampling frequency (in space) close to the signal frequency.
Extensive works were carried out to calculate optimal sensor spacing (and numbers)
with respect to the vehicle, traffic and road characteristics and to develop more
powerful algorithms for static weight estimation [2].
There are some design and implementation issues with MS-WIM systems. The
individual sensor accuracy for axle force measurement and calibration is best
established using true axle dynamic loads rather than static loads − as is usually the
case with the traditional WIM systems. In addition, the sensor response needs to be
stable and independent of the environment, etc. A compromise needs to be struck
between the costs of the MS-WIM array — largely related to the number of sensors
and the accuracy of the system. The accuracy of a MS-WIM system depends on the
quality and number of sensors, the pavement profile, the algorithm and data
processing, and other parameters. It varies from B + (7) to B(10), and the objective is
to reach the class A(5) for enforcement purpose.

A few MS-WIM arrays were installed, mainly for research and development works, in
the UK, the USA, France and the Netherlands. Some users are considering using them
for accurate pre-selection, and perhaps in the future for automatic enforcement.
 However, the issue of getting a legal metrological type approval for enforcement is
not yet solved for such a system.

5.2.2. Bridge (B-)WIM

The concept of bridge (B-)WIM was introduced [5]. It uses instrumented bridge parts
(e.g. deck, slab or beam) to measure the strains induced by the moving vehicle loads
crossing the bridge. It then calculates the axle and vehicle loads, using the calculated
or measured transfer function (load to strain) called an influence line (1-D) or
influence surface (2-D). In a B-WIM system, the bridge is used as a large scale
calibrated to weigh axles and vehicles (Fig. 8).

1. Download : Download high-res image (845KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 8. B-WIM: culway in Australia (left), instrumentation (center) and measurement
(right) on an integral bridge in Nogent-sur-Seine, France.
In the early stage (1979–1996), the B-WIM systems required additional axle detectors
mounted in the road pavement or on the road surface to count the axles, and measure
axle spacing and vehicle speed. The Australian Road Research Board (ARRB)
developed the Culway system, which used box culverts (very short span bridges —
less than 5 m) with excellent damping as a result of having pavement material over
them. Conventional bridges tend to vibrate — creating an additional strain response
that needs to be filtered out to establish the strain induced by the truck on the bridge.
In the WAVE project [2], it was shown that strain sensors may be sensitive enough to
work without axle detectors, which led to the concept of Free of Axle Detector (FAD)
B-WIM. It improved greatly the interest in this technology, which avoids any road
closure for installation and maintenance, thus reducing traffic disturbance and
increasing safety. The system is also fully undetectable by drivers; an advantage for
enforcement.
The accuracy of the B-WIM system was initially rather poor for gross weights, and
more so for axles, if detected, and only working on concrete girder bridges. The
accuracy of Culway systems was better and axles were well detected and rather well
weighed. In the WAVE project, the types of suitable bridges significantly increased
with short span slab integral bridges; short and medium span simply supported slab
and beam bridges, orthotropic steel deck bridges and a few others. However, the
bridge instrumentation needs to be done properly and requires well trained staff, as
well as the calibration of the system. A Slovenian company developed a marketed B-
WIM system (SiWIM).

Another advantage of the B-WIM (SiWIM) is the portability. Transducers are simply
attached, and may be quickly removed and reinstalled on another bridge. This is also
the case with the electronics. For example, the Swedish Road Administration manages
more than 30 bridges with less than 10 systems for non-permanent overload survey.
The technology is valuable in harsh climates, where de-icing machines may damage
any road sensor; or on busy highways and motorways, where lane closures are
difficult and dangerous.

For overload pre-selection and enforcement it is a discrete system; not visible, and
difficult for truck drivers to avoid. However it requires the presence of a suitable
bridge and the technology still requires a high level of expertise for the installation
and operation.

5.2.3. Video-WIM and automatic vehicle identification (AVI)

The concept of video-WIM was developed in North America and the Netherlands. It
involves coupling a WIM system to a video camera with OCR — automatic license
plate number recognition (Fig. 9). The video-WIM system is installed a few
kilometers upstream to a weighing area. If a vehicle passes with an overloaded axle,
an overload on the gross weight, or is even over speeding, pictures of the whole
vehicle – including number plate – are sent to the compliance officers at the weighing
 area. The vehicle is then stopped on the weighing area (e.g. if located after a toll
barrier) or is directed to the weighing area.

1. Download : Download high-res image (413KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 9. Video-WIM: coupling a HS-WIM and a video camera on a French motorway.
A new preventive concept was introduced in the Netherlands in the early 2000s,
which consists of recording the pictures of all suspicious vehicles and storing them in
a database managed by the Ministry of Transport. Even when there is no policing at
the weighing area, the suspected violators are recorded; the Ministry of Transport then
sends warnings to the companies which are most frequently cited.

6. Data management issues

The use of high speed WIM systems for pre-selection require telecommunication tools
to transmit the data (loads, vehicle characteristics such as speed, lane used, type of
truck, license plate, etc.) and the pictures, either to the compliance officers or to a
database, for later analysis and use. This requires a high level of security to protect
personal data and road users’ privacy, as well as prevent mistakes which could lead to
court challenges. In several countries, careful legal procedures are being prepared to
implement such a system. Only authorized officers will be able to access the data,
which generally cannot be stored for too long. However, some anonymous data
(vehicle loads and characteristics without license plate number, statistics) are often
sent to traffic management centres for operational purposes; and to the policing
organization to help plan enforcement programmes.

Moreover, if there is a static or low speed WIM system adjacent to a high speed WIM
system, it is recommended to use these more accurate systems to continuously
calibrate or check the calibration of the high speed WIM system in a “closed loop”
process.

7. Application of WIM: best practices and implementation

There are various practices around the world in using WIM for enforcement. In very
few countries, such as Taiwan, high speed WIM systems are used for direct
enforcement, with large tolerances to account for inaccuracies in the system.
Tolerances of up to 30% were reported, but this may be acceptable if there are very
large and frequent overloads (e.g. 20 to 50% of the trucks overloaded, with a
significant amount by more than 50%).
In some countries, portable high speed WIM systems are used over short time periods
to detect overloads, and then to perform static controls with portable scales. However,
the accuracy of portable WIM systems is not very good, and thus the efficiency or
pre-selection is low.

In North America and other countries around the world, high quality high speed WIM
systems are installed in pavements upstream of large weighing stations (Fig. 10).
These weighing stations – along motorways and highways − are equipped with low
speed or static weighing systems as well as parking lots for enforcement. Many of
these high speed WIM systems weigh very accurately, due to the effort put into
ensuring the weigh pads are absolutely planar with the road surface to minimize
vehicle dynamics — or bounce. The WIM system is generally used to identify
 potentially overloaded trucks and divert them to the weighing area. Depending on the
traffic density and the local organization, the suspicious vehicles are chosen one by
one; some sequences of vehicles are picked when one of them is detected by the WIM
system. If the weigh station is not permanently manned, the WIM system only records
statistics outside the enforcement sessions.

1. Download : Download high-res image (228KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 10. Overload screening using a HS-WIM and a video camera in Canada.
In the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Japan, and some other countries, the video-WIM
was implemented for pre-selection, and for continuously monitoring overloads and
sending warnings to the transport companies. This procedure has been very efficient
in reducing overloading. Since 2007 a reduction of up to 50% of the overloads has
been observed in some countries; however the economic crisis and its impact of road
freight transport volume has certainly also contributed to this reduction.

7.1. Coupling of high-speed and low-speed WIM for pre-selection and

enforcement

Coupling high speed WIM for pre-selection and low speed WIM for enforcement is
already implemented in several countries. The process could be automated to become
more efficient and to require less staff. That is also the challenge in countries
where bribery is an issue. The automatic self calibration of the HS-WIM system using
the low speed data could also be improved and more automated.

8. Future perspectives
New applications of WIM systems are expected, both for traffic and heavy vehicle
regulation enforcement, and as part of new ITS solutions. The main objectives of the
newly-founded International Society for WIM (ISWIM: http://iswim.free.fr ) are to
support these goals.

8.1. Automatic enforcement in the traffic flow

A great challenge is to use HS-WIM systems for automated (direct) enforcement in

the traffic flow, as is the case for speed enforcement. In most countries, the
requirements are to get WIM systems in accuracy class A(5) for more than 95% of the
vehicles, and even closer to 99%. However, it is impossible to guarantee 100% of the
measurements in any given tolerance for a large population of trucks traveling at
speed because of the dynamic interaction with the pavement. Therefore the OIML
recommendation does not apply, and legal metrology approval will be difficult to
obtain. However, with the progresses of MS-WIM and B-WIM, automated
enforcement may become a reality. Besides the technological issues, legal issues will
also need to be solved.

8.2. Dynamic load regulation and on board WIM

Weighing trucks in static and in motion, using on board equipment, was done in the
1980s and ‘90s with instrumented vehicles. Continuous measurements of wheel and
axle impact forces were carried out for research purposes in a few countries, such as
Canada, Finland, and the UK [6], for pavement and vehicle engineering applications.
Most of these systems used accelerometers and strain gauges mounted on the vehicle
body (suspended masses) and/or on the axles or wheels (unsuspended masses). The
impact forces were calculated using calibrated vehicle dynamic models. However, this
required rather long calculations, which were often done a posteriori. The
instrumentation was costly, and the dynamic calibration of the systems required
sophisticated testing platforms, trained staff, and a long time.
In the OECD/DIVINE project, on-board axle load measurements and road WIM
sensor data collection were synchronized. This opened a new approach to WIM
system calibration, using true dynamic forces applied on the road sensor. A calibration
vehicle was then developed in the Netherlands for this purpose. Recently, the
Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) tested a system using a laser mounted to the
wheel hub to measure tire deflections and hence wheel loads. This low cost portable
tool is designed to improve the knowledge of the coupling between dynamic loads and
suspension characteristics. The results are very promising. The availability of accurate
lasers, very high speed data acquisition and processing technology was the key to this
success.

On-board static weighing systems have been used in the trucking industry for many
years. They were developed by truck or tire manufacturers, and by metrological
companies. A number of technologies and patents are reported which correspond to a
market for hauliers and fleet managers (e.g. garbage trucks in cities and logging
trucks). The main objective is to optimize truck fleet management and routing with
respect to their capacity and load limits.
Recently, road operators and enforcement bodies have expressed the need for on-
board weighing systems, which could be installed on all trucks in the future to
monitor and enforce load limits, as done with the chronotachygraphe (a device which
measures and records the driving time all along the journey). Coupled with a GPS, an
on-board weighing system could meet the needs of hauliers, fleet managers, road
managers and enforcement bodies. The current marketed systems weigh the vehicle
when it is stationary — such as at traffic lights, in queues, in gas stations, or parking
lots during rest periods. They weigh only the mass above the sensors, and their
accuracy is pretty much dependent on the operator and their calibration.

Significant investments are being made in Australia to have on-board mass

measurement equipment which is tamper proof and of an evidentiary standard. A
recent review found a viable and experienced on-board mass monitoring industry in
Australia, where the current systems were built as an aid to the driver. The systems
use both load cells and air pressure transducers. In recent times, telematics service
providers have entered the industry, bringing the on-board mass product to a wider
industry base. The review concluded that there were many areas that needed to be
addressed in order to ensure accuracy and to prevent tampering with the mass
parameters.
On board WIM systems seem to be a promising alternative, both to cover the same
needs and to address new challenges. On-board WIM systems may be part of an
advanced driving assistance (ADAS) to prevent large dynamic amplifications on
rough or deteriorated pavements by a variable speed adaptation (to the road profile
and the vehicle dynamic characteristics). This would improve road safety and vehicle
comfort, as well as reduce road wear because of the dynamic load factors.

In a longer term future, if the trucks can be equipped with reliable on-board WIM
systems the driving law could be modified to not only limit the (static) masses of the
vehicles, but also their impact on the roads (i.e. the dynamic impact forces). In a first
stage, that could be done on a voluntary basis with incentives such as tax reduction, or
an increase in the static load limits. A main advantage would be to monitor and record
continuously the loads, and to allow after the event checks and fines if needed. Real
time overload monitoring could also be possible using a data transmission system and
a GPS; necessary to stop the highest overloaded trucks.

9. Conclusions
WIM is a useful tool to contribute towards more compliance with mass regulation. It
has been used most successfully for nearly two decades. WIM has helped to reduce
the number of overloaded trucks, and contributed to the more efficient and effective
use of police officers’ time. A reduction in overloaded trucks is also conducive to a
reduction in crashes. There are still issues and challenges for WIM technology and
application which require more research and development work. It is also essential to
better disseminate knowledge and best practices, to exchange experiences, and carry
out large scale common tests of WIM sensors and systems.

References
[1]
ASTM
Standard Specification for Highway Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) Systems with User
Requirements and Test Methods
ASTM Standard E 1318, Jan 10 (2002)
Google Scholar
[2]
B. Jacob

Proceedings of the Final Symposium of the project WAVE (1996-99), Paris, May 6-7,
1999
Hermes Science Publications, Paris (1999)
352 pp
Google Scholar
[3]
B. Jacob, E.J. O'Brien, W. Newton

Assessment of the Accuracy and Classification of Weigh-in-Motion Systems: Part 2

European Specification
International Journal of Vehicle Design - Heavy Vehicle Systems, 7 (Nos. 2/3) (2000),
pp. 153-168
View Record in ScopusGoogle Scholar
[4]
Jacob, B. O'Brien, E.J. and Jehaes, S. (2002), Weigh-in-Motion of Road Vehicles, Final
Report of the COST323 Action, LCPC, Paris, 538 pp., + French edition (2004).
Google Scholar
[5]
F. Moses

Weigh-In-Motion System using instrumented Bridges

ASCE Transportation Engineering Journal, 105 (1979), pp. 233-249
View PDF
CrossRefView Record in ScopusGoogle Scholar
[6]
OECD (1998), Dynamic Interaction between Vehicle and INfrastructure Experiment,
Technical report, DSTI/DOT/RTR/IR6(98)1/FINAL, OECD, Paris, 151 pp.
Google Scholar
[7]
OIML

International Recommendation: Automatic instruments for weighing road vehicles

in motion and measuring axle loads
Part 1: Metrological and technical requirements – Tests, R134-1 (2006)
Google Scholar
[8]
D. Turner, L.A. Nicholson, K. Agent

Oversize/overweight commercial vehicle safety

 Paper presented at the HVTT10 International Conference on Heavy Vehicles, Paris, 19-
22 May 2008 (2008)
Google Scholar
1

Shadow toll: an operator is contracted to (build), finance, operate and maintain a road
infrastructure, and is paid at a predefined rate, based on some traffic assumptions. If the traffic is
higher or lower than expected, the contract payment is adjusted to reflect the real use of the
infrastructure.

able 1 - uploaded by Erdem Coleri

Content may be subject to copyright.

Download

View publication

WIM system cost comparison(costs/lane)

Source publication
 +6

Development of a Cost Effective Wireless Vibration Weigh-In-Motion System to Estimate

Axle Weights of Trucks

Article

Full-text available

 May 2017
 Ravneet Bajwa

 Erdem Coleri

 Ram Rajagopal

 [...]

 Christopher Flores
Truck weight data plays an important role in weight enforcement and pavement condition assessment. This data is
primarily obtained through weigh stations and weigh-in-motion stations which are currently very expensive to install
and maintain. This paper presents results of the implementation of an inexpensive wireless sensor-based vibration
Weigh-I...

Total Installed Costs for

Commercially Available Weigh-
in-Motion Systems in Minnesota
Range from $36,340 to $46,000
per Lane.
Researchers Evaluated the Weigh-in-Motion Systems
Installed at Minnesota Department of Transportation’s
MnROAD Facility on I-94.
Date Posted
12/27/2021
Wright County,

Minnesota,
United States;
IDENTIFIER
2021-00503

Summary Information
Weigh-in Motion (WIM) systems allow the measurement of vehicle weight and axle
loads as vehicles drive over sensors embedded in the roadway. One evaluated system
(System 1) included commercially available quartz piezo-electric sensors and
controllers, and another (System 2) utilizes strain-gauge technology to determine
vehicle weight. Daily observation data including counts, gross vehicle weight, and
vehicle speed were collected from the systems installed on MnROAD along I-94,
starting in late 2015 through mid-2016, for later statistical analysis and comparison.

The costs of the two types of WIM systems are summarized below and in Table 1:

 System 1 utilizes quartz piezo-electric sensors. The equipment cost of these

sensors is about $28,000 per lane; installation costs range from $15,000 to
$18,000 per lane. This results in a total estimated cost of $43,000 to $46,000
per lane.
 System 2 utilizes strain-gauge technology; the materials cost is about $21,340
per lane and the installation costs range from $15,000 to $18,000 per lane.
This results in a total estimated cost of $36,340 to $39,340 per lane.

Table 1. Summarized costs of Systems 1 and 2.

System 1 System 2

Equipment Cost (per lane) $28,000 $21,340

Installation Cost (per lane) $15,000 - $18,000 $15,000 - $18,000

Total Cost (per lane) $43,000 - $46,000 $36,340 - $39,340

countries using Weigh in motion on highways include:

 Australia[17]
 Belgium[18]
 China[19][20]
 France[21]
 Germany[21]
 Italy[22]
 Japan[23]
 The Netherlands[24]
 Poland[25]
 Ukraine [26]
 United Kingdom[21]
 United States (Usage varies from state to state)[27]
Sensors[edit]
WIM systems can employ various types of sensors for measurement.
The earliest WIM systems, still used in a minority of installations, use an instrumented existing
bridge as the weighing platform.[34][35] Bending plates span a void cut into the pavement and use the
flexure as the wheel passes over as a measure of weight. Load cells use strain sensors in the corner
supports of a large platform embedded in the road.[36]
The majority of systems today are strip sensors - pressure sensitive materials installed in a 2 to 3 cm
groove cut into the road pavement. In strip sensors, various sensing materials are used, including
piezo-polymer, piezo-ceramic, capacitive and piezo-quartz. Many of these sensing systems are
temperature-dependent and algorithms are used to correct for this. [36]
Strain transducers are used in bridge WIM systems. Strain gauges are used to measure the flexure
in bending plates and the deformation in load cells. The strip sensor systems use piezo-electric
materials in the groove.
Capacitive systems measure the capacitance between two closely placed charged plates. [37]
More recently, weighing sensors using optical fiber grating sensors have been proposed. [38][39][40]

Charge amplifiers[edit]
High impedance charge signals are amplified with MOSFET based charge amplifiers and converted
to a voltage output, which is connected to analysis system.[citation needed]

Inductive loops[edit]
Inductive loops define the vehicle entry and exit from the WIM station. These signals are used as
triggering inputs to start and stop the measurement to initiate totaling gross vehicle weight of each
vehicle. They also measure total vehicle length and help with vehicle classification. For toll gate or
low speed applications, inductive loops may be replaced by other types of vehicle sensors such as
light curtains, axle sensors or piezocables.[citation needed]

Measurement system[edit]
The high speed measurement system is programmed to perform calculations of the following
parameters:[citation needed]
Axle distances, Individual axle weights, Gross Vehicle Weight, Vehicle Speed, Distance between
vehicles, and the GPS synchronized time stamp for each vehicle measurement.
The measurement system should be environmentally protected, should have a wide operating
temperature range and withstand condensation.

Registration plate reading[edit]

 Camera's for automatic number-plate recognition may be part of the system to check the measured
weight against maximum allowable weight for the vehicle and, in case of exceeded limits, inform law
enforcement in order to pursue the vehicle or to directly fine the owner.[41]

Communications[edit]
Variety of communication methods need to be installed on the measurement system. A modem or
cellular modem can be provided. In older installations or where no communication infrastructure
exists, WIM systems can be self-operating while saving the data, to later physically retrieve it. [citation
needed]

Data archiving[edit]
A WIM system connected with any available communication means can be connected to a central
monitoring server. Automatic data archiving software is required to retrieve the data from many
remote WIM stations to be available for any further processing. A central database can be built to
link many WIMs to a server for a variety of monitoring and enforcement purposes. [citation needed]

n recent years, traffic congestion, traffic accidents, and deterioration of the

environment because of growing population, increasing urbanization, and increasing
car ownership have become serious problems in the Asia-Pacific regions. Intelligent
transport systems (ITS) are systems that try to solve various road traffic issues using
information communication technologies. Several countries are endeavoring to solve
such traffic issues by deploying an ITS and achieving positive results. However, there
are some problems in advancing ITS deployment in these countries, such as lack of
technical know-how, a lack of coordination among systems, lack of a master plan, and
financial constraints. In order to introduce ITSs, it is important to select suitable
technologies and applications appropriate for each country. An appropriate plan and
evaluation of the ITS project are also important for the introduction of ITS.

In this paper, we propose methods for the utilization and introduction of ITS
technologies to solve urban traffic issues in various countries, based on the lessons
learned from the deployment of an ITS in Japan.

 Previous article in issue

 Next article in issue

Keywords
ITS
Smartway
ETC 2.0
MaaS
TDM
PPP

1. Introduction
Both emerging and developed countries suffer serious urban traffic problems, such as
traffic congestion, accidents, and environmental problems owing to concentrated
populations and economic growth. Certain cities are using intelligent transport
Systems (ITS) to solve these urban traffic issues by utilizing state-of-the-art
information communication technologies, and some of them have achieved success in
their implementation. However, even countries that have introduced ITS are
experiencing various issues, such as uncoordinated complex silo systems, a shortage
of deployment strategy knowledge, the lack of a master plan, and stalled deployment
due to financial constraints. In order to introduce ITS, it is necessary to select suitable
technology and applications appropriate for each country and region, as well as an
appropriate introduction plans and project schemes.

Japan has been implementing the practical applications of ITSs such as the vehicle
information communication service (VICS) and the electric toll correction (ETC)
nationwide, based on the “Smartway” concept [1] shown Fig. 1. It is one of the
concepts of cooperative vehicle-infrastructure systems (V2I).
1. Download : Download high-res image (399KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 1. Smartway concept in Japan.
A novel project called “ETC 2.0,” which combines VICS and ETC functions on one
on-board unit (OBU) and adds several new functions, was launched in 2011. ETC 2.0
has enabled a variety of applications through high-speed, high-capacity
communications by utilizing characteristics of a dedicated short-range
communications (DSRC) at 5.8 GHz. This could contribute to alleviating urban traffic
problems.

This paper suggests policies that make use of ITS technology for solving urban traffic
problems based on the expertise gained and lessons learned through the introduction
of ITS in Japan. The policies are beneficial for countries which are developing
expressway (motorway) by public finance initiative (PFI) or public private
partnership (PPP).

2. ITS in Japan
 2.1. Features of ETC 2.0

Fig. 2 shows the features of ETC 2.0. The system is simple because ETC 2.0 OBUs
and a road-side-unit (RSU), called “ITS SPOT,” communicate with each other on a
dedicated area. The OBU has a basic application interface consisting of common
functions such as command/response function, memory access function, an IC card
access function, a push-type information delivery function, onboard unit ID
communication function, and onboard unit basic command function, which enable the
use of various ITS services by combining these common functions. It has great merits
such as cost reduction and long-term use on OBU because if we want to add a new
service, all we need to do is develop a new RSU with a new application.

1. Download : Download high-res image (446KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 2. Features of ETC 2.0.
ETC 2.0 uses a two-piece system that supports multiple users. Vehicle information is
stored in OBU and personal information is stored on IC cards, enabling the separation
of the vehicle owner and the toll payer. This allows people other than the owners of
the vehicle, such as car rentals, to pay ETC tolls. Security and privacy protection is
also important for mobile payment. ETC 2.0 is able to guarantee security and to
protect privacy because it uses an IC card having an IC chip with a built-in CPU,
which enables a two-way authorization and the encryption of recorded data using
DSRC security platform (DSRC-SPF). The high-speed, high-capacity active DSRC at
5.8 GHz enables the provision of information for supporting safe driving, and wide-
area traffic congestion information for over approximately 1000 km. Two-way
communications also allow probe data collection from GNSS on it. This 5.8G-Hz
active DSRC was certified as ISO 14906 by the International Telecommunication
Union's recommendation M.1453.

The name ETC 2.0 indicates that it is completely compatible with the conventional
ETC. It can offer new mobility applications such as safe driving support and dynamic
route guidance for car navigation systems using a larger capacity and high-speed
communication than a conventional VICS. A remarkable application of this is for
“probe data [2]” collection by utilizing the uplink function. Probe data consist of the
two kinds of data: travel records and behavior records. The travel records show each
vehicle's time and position along its path. The behavior record can reveal dangerous
points on the road where a driver may need to stop suddenly or adjust steering.
Approximately 2.4 million OBUs were shipped on the market by the end of December
2017. More than 3000 RSUs have already been installed along expressways and
national roads by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism
(MLIT).

2.2. Smart use of roads using ETC 2.0

After World War II, the Japanese government started construction of expressways
using a World Bank loan, and have since continued construction under the toll road
system. First, we started construction of the national development longitudinal
expressway, which connects Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka metropolitan area. Thereafter,
we have developed crossing expressways that connect local cities and the longitudinal
expressway. Finally, now we are concentrating on developing last miles to local cities
and ring expressways in the metropolitan areas. The ring expressways are the most
important infrastructure to consider in order to solve urban transport problems by
eliminating passing car traffic, easing congestion in the city center, and affording
space to human and public transportation.

ETC plays a key role in the smart use of developed expressways. Firstly, ETC is an
inevitable tool for collecting tolls safely and securely at low costs. Secondly, it is
useful for making more inter-changes (IC) at a lower cost and over a smaller space in
order to improve user accessibility. Thirdly, it has a dynamic charging function for
providing drivers discounts, such as the time of the day, day of the week, and so on, as
incentives to use expressways.

In rural areas where ETC gates cannot be densely installed, a low cost ETC only IC is
useful for reducing construction money. On the other hand, in metropolitan areas,
smaller space is beneficial because of limited land for construction and a dynamic
charging function is an essential tool for “traffic demand management (TDM).”

By making use of the probe data, we can accurately identify the location and time of
congestion, and black spots of accidents. Additionally, we can coordinate the best
countermeasures, such as widening roads, modifying traffic signal timing, providing
information via variable message signs (VMS) and car navigation systems, and
calculating using those new data sources. The collected probe data can also be used to
evaluate the effects of coordinated countermeasures. Finally, we can establish the
PDCA cycle of policy implementation.

As Fig. 3 shows, countermeasures can be evaluated after implementation. The details

of traffic problems can be more accurately understood by analyzing probe data,
although this is partly dependent on the penetration of OBUs. It is one of the demerit
of ETC 2.0 that data collection is dependent on RSUs deployment.
1. Download : Download high-res image (396KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 3. Example of the analysis and evaluation using probe data.

2.3. Supporting safe driving with ETC 2.0

There are four different types of traffic accident countermeasures according to the
timing of implementation;

•
Before: motorway development, traffic signal, guard rail, ramble strip etc.

•
Immediately before: safety information provision in vehicle signage, automated
break

•
 During and immediately after: seat belt, airbag

•
After: Automated help call, Dr. Helicopter

The most effective countermeasures are the ones taken before and immediately before
the accidents, because those are able to prevent accidents. However, establishing
measures in advance is both costly and time consuming because of infrastructure
development. The “immediately before” countermeasures were considered impossible
because we had no tools for detecting hazards and delivering critical information to
the driver inside a car just before a hazard, which could be technically challenging.

ITS technologies, however, have made this possible. CCTV cameras with image
processing [3] can detect a stopped vehicle on the blind carve. Sensors on the vehicle
can detect the tail end of traffic congestions, objects on road, road surface conditions
and other elements, potentially dangerous for vehicles. The DSRC employed on ETC
2.0 has high-speed and high-capacity communications and can provide the detected
information just before hazardous sections. Fig. 4 shows an image of the safety
application utilization of ETC 2.0. We should combine these technologies and deploy
them to save lives. In the future, identifying accident prone sections using probe data
would be efficient for detecting hazards at a low cost.
1. Download : Download high-res image (323KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 4. The safety application utilizing ETC 2.0.

2.4. Heavy vehicle management and efficient logistics with ETC 2.0

Road deterioration caused by heavy vehicles is a universal problem because it is said

that deterioration is proportional to the 12th power of the vehicle weight. Basically,
road administrators should charge a toll with the vehicle's weight, but it was
technically difficult. ETC 2.0 has adequate functions [4], such as an ID
communication function for monitoring and a probe data collection function, for route
identification in order to manage heavy vehicles. This is especially useful controlling
over-loaded vehicles. The heavy vehicles management system via ETC 2.0 consists of
a system that makes use of big data calculated from the probe data and the weigh-in-
 motion (WIM) sensor data to determine if heavy vehicles are on appropriate permitted
routes and of adequate weight. (Fig. 5).

1. Download : Download high-res image (391KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 5. Overview of the Tokusha Gold System.
This system is also able to feedback its own probe data to freight operators to
support = logistics and driver management. This will make freight traffic more
efficient and help reduce the number of major accidents involving heavy vehicles.
 2.5. Development of automated driving vehicles

Recent advances in vehicular control technology, such as adaptive cruise control

(ACC), lane keeping assist (LKA) and automatic braking, are leading toward the
actualization of automated-driving vehicles. A combination of vehicle control
technology and the ETC 2.0 information provision is indispensable for achieving
automated-driving vehicles. It is important that details on road surface and traffic
conditions collected by vehicle sensors and roadside sensors as forecast information
resource support vehicle control and route selection, and result in the realization of a
comfort and safety automated driving (Fig. 6).

1. Download : Download high-res image (329KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 6. A combination of automated drive and ETC 2.0.

2.6. The ETC 2.0 deployment strategy in Japan

The basic concept for promoting ETC 2.0 deployment, called “Triple Wins Concept
[5],” is shown in Fig. 7. Better deployment strategy must bring benefits to triple
winners: society, road administrators and drivers.
1. Download : Download high-res image (83KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 7. Concept of the ETC 2.0 Deployment.
Concretely, the benefits for society are a reduction in traffic accidents by supporting
safe driving, a reduction in traffic congestion, and an alleviation of environmental
burdens by the provision of traffic congestion information to drivers. The benefits for
road administrators lie in analyzing in detail dangerous areas and frequently congested
locations, etc. In addition, probe data would introduce dramatic changes such as
efficient and low-cost management of roads. The benefits for drivers are the financial
advantages of toll discounts, nonstop toll, and parking fee settlement. The advantages
for drivers, as the end users, are the most important for promoting the introduction of
ITS.

An effective way of promoting the deployment of cooperative vehicle-infrastructure

systems like ETC 2.0 is to install RSUs first under the responsibility of the public
sector, and ensure the collection of toll revenues to cover the operational and
maintenance costs of such facilities. Furthermore, the utilization of OBUs enables
collecting tolls at low cost, and this cost down would be a means for toll discounts.
The toll discounts increase drivers' satisfaction and promotes deployment of OBUs.
Spreading OBUs will reduce congestion and emissions at toll plazas. Moreover, RSUs
collect probe data, which is a resource of traffic information for VICS, helping drivers
to select a detour from congested routes.
3. Toward the realization of ITS
3.1. Understanding basic ITS

Each country is attempting to introduce ITS to solve urban transport problems, and
some countries have already improved traffic management. However, the introduction
strategy and the lack of a system architecture make it difficult not only to introduce
effects but also to maintain and expand the system in the future.

In considering the introduction of ITS, it is easy to understand the ITS introduction

strategy by redefining the ITS with the current state-of-the-art technology as shown
in Table 1. The basic tools are personal devices like smartphones, vehicle equipment,
and road equipment; and the basic technologies, serving as the ITS platform are the
digital infrastructure: CCTV camera, GNSS and Digital MAP, communication
technologies: long term evolution (LTE), near field communication (NFC) and ISDB-
T, DB (Data Base) technologies: cloud and big data. By combining these ITS platform
technologies, it is possible to realize various user services, as shown in Table 2.
Table 1. Definition of basic ITS.

Smart device Smart car Smart way ITS

Platform
CCD CCD (CCTV camera with CCD
Sensor CCD
Radar image processing) Radar
GNSS
Positioning GNSS GNSS GNSS
Dead-reckoning
Mapping Digital MAP Digital MAP Digital MAP Digital Map
LTE LTE
LTE
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi
DSRC (ETC
Bluetooth Bluetooth
Communication DSRC (ETC 2.0) 2.0)
NFC DSRC (ETC 2.0)
NFC
Digital Digital
ISDB-T
Broadcast(ISDB-T) Broadcast(ISDB-T)
Network Private info. network Private info. network Road admin. optical fiber Optical fiber
Private ASP ETC-DB
Private ASP
Navigation APP VICS-DB Cloud
Database Navigation APP
Transit info. APP AHS-DB Big data
Transit info. APP
Concierge APP Heavy vehicle DB
Touch panel Touch panel VMS Touch panel
HMI
voice, vibration etc. voice, vibration etc. traffic signal VMS, etc.
 Table 2. User services and basic ITS.

App. Smart device Smart car Smart way

Navigation GNSS + DM + HMI GNSS + DM + HMI VMS
ETC 2.0 or ISDB-
VICS LTE + HMI ETC 2.0 + VICS-DB
T + HMI
ETC NFC + HMI ETC 2.0 ETC 2.0 + ETC-DB
Driver services Route based
GNSS + ETC 2.0 ETC 2.0 + ETC-DB
discount
AHS ETC 2.0 + HMI ETC 2.0 + AHS-DB
ETC 2.0 + Heavy
Heavy vehicle ETC 2.0
vehicle DB
Images + LTE or ETC
Road patrol Images & SMS CCTV
2.0
Road info. GNSS + LTE or ETC
LTE, Bluetooth CCTV + ETC 2.0
Road management collection 2.0
Road info.
LTE LTE, ETC 2.0 VMS + ETC 2.0
provision
Traffic control ETC 2.0 Signal + ETC 2.0
Payment NFC
Public GNSS + LTE or ETC
Bus location ETC 2.0
transportation 2.0
Park & Ride NFC ETC 2.0 ETC 2.0
Parking payment NFC ETC 2.0 ETC 2.0
Shearing LTE, NFC ETC 2.0 ETC 2.0
Relative services
Gate management NFC ETC 2.0 ETC 2.0
Zone management ETC 2.0 ETC 2.0

3.2. System architecture and roadmap

3.2.1. System architecture

A well-planned system architecture is indispensable for the sound development and

growth of road infrastructure without expenses [6]. Introducing ITS must be
proceeded by not developing stand-alone applications but by using a platform to run
applications on it.
 Fig. 8, Fig. 9 illustrate the overall information system configurations (a physical
architecture) of ITS devises on road infrastructure. They have been classified by
elemental technology type: technology for collecting, processing, storing, analyzing
and providing information.

1. Download : Download high-res image (620KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 8. Conceptual illustration of ITS deployment.
1. Download : Download high-res image (540KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 9. An example of a physical architecture.
Understanding the whole system architecture is necessary for fitting current and future
requirements and developing platforms one by one for fitting a priority of traffic
issues for which each country has faced in the past. This step by step installation of
the platform is called a “roadmap.”

3.2.2. Roadmap
 Fig. 10 shows of an example of an evolving system extension. ETC is necessary for
developing a toll road when it is constructed as PPP and/or PFI project. If a road
authority would introduce an active DSRC with probe function like ETC 2.0 OBU,
they could collect probe data for analyzing traffic condition such as congestion and
sudden breaks. These traffic condition data are important for road improvement and
traffic management, especially in the context of an advancing signal control system.
Improving the signal control system could drastically reduce traffic congestion and
accident.

1. Download : Download high-res image (376KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 10. An example of Roadmap.
However, there are still lots of congestion spots in urban areas because it is difficult to
develop enough road networks that meets the increasing traffic demand caused by the
economic growth of the cities. VICS must change this situation by providing
congestion information and giving a choice of detour routes, for avoiding congestion
spots, to drivers through car navigation systems. Because drivers can understand the
usefulness of saving a lot of time and money, the use of car navigation systems would
increase rapidly. Thus, VICS give us a chance to make use of road networks
efficiently.
After increasing the use of car navigation systems through an infrastructure-to-vehicle
(I2V) communication system, it is easy to install a safety driving assistance
application by only deploying a safety information DB and CCTV with image
processing of dangerous spots.

The evolution of vehicles is important to achieving the ultimate safety driving. Here,
I2V and V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle) communication for automated driving obtained
via sensor information from a car is not enough to recognize a road environment, such
as a blind curve. Infrastructure and vehicles should cooperate for realization of the
dream.

3.3. Project scheme for introduction

The most effective project schemes for introducing ITS in emerging countries are the
public-private partnerships (PPP), which represents a method for introducing and
operating infrastructure by both the public and private sectors together, bringing
advantages to both sides. The public sector can obtain an infrastructure without public
money by permitting the private sector to use their land for several decades. The
private sector can do business by making use of private funds around the world and
offering their expertise.

The first method is to utilize private investment and expertise to build motorways with
well-planned ITS. ETC, WIM and CCTV camera are necessary for the operation and
management on road networks, such as collecting tolls and monitoring traffic. If they
add a probe data collection function on their ETC, as in the ETC 2.0, and an image
processing unit on the CCTV camera, they could obtain enough traffic information to
understand the total situation of roads just after implementation. Furthermore, they
can provide the traffic information to car navigation systems with communications
such as ETC 2.0, Telematix and smartphones. It will support the smart use of roads
through detours or time shifts of congestion area and enhance safe driving for drivers
(Fig. 11).
1. Download : Download high-res image (263KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 11. Example of PPP for Expressways.
The second method is using VMS as an ITS tool on existing roads. Introducing VMS
to provide congestion information at the entrance to the central business district is
very useful for reducing urban center congestion because VMS can be easily
recognized by all drivers. If the public sector permits the private sector the free use of
several spaces along existing roads, then the private sector could construct VMS to
provide congestion information useful for the drivers, thereby bringing beneficial
effects to society. Additionally, the private sector could use a part of the VMS for
advertisement to generate funds of construction, operation and maintenance. In this
business model, the private sector has to install traffic sensors such as CCTV cameras
with image processing functionality for gleaning more precise traffic information and
arrival times. The simultaneous introduction of ETC 2.0 is considered effective for
making information rich and at a low cost.
 Fig. 12 shows an example of Ahmadabad in India. Half of the screen displays sponsor
advertisements, while the other half of the screen displays information on road works
and traffic congestion, as well as other information that the road administrator
provides. Congestion information is obtained from the traffic sensors installed with
VMS, and drivers are able to see it using the VMS and smartphones.

1. Download : Download high-res image (361KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
Fig. 12. Example of the advertising and traffic information on VMS.

4. Smart cities development by basic ITS

4.1. MaaS and basic ITS

Introducing ITS is mainly to eliminate the negative effects of accidents, congestions

and environment, brought by the automobile era. Several countries are now
challenged to deploy ITS. Those countries that have installed basic ITS are able to use
them to comprehensively solve urban transportation issues. Problems will be solved
by making good use of the basic ITS from the three perspectives of “multimodal,”
“TDM,” and “urban logistics management (ULM)”.

In terms of multimodal, “Mobility as a Service (MaaS)” is a remarkable concept,

which is actually a deployment project in Helsinki, Finland. MaaS is defined as a
digital platform with an integrated planning, booking, e-ticketing and payment service
across all traffic modes from departure to destination. This trial service is operated by
MaaS Global organized by a public transportation agency, a telecommunications
company, a traffic information provider, a payment system company, etc. Until actual
operation, the Finnish government has subsidized funds.

Currently, the services can be received only with smartphones that have Finnish
phone numbers. Users need to download a “whim” application and only input a
departure and a destination place such that they can obtain an optimal traveling route
using public transportation, car sharing, renting a bicycle and so on. If they agree on
its suggestion, they can get an e-ticket for all transportation means with one click.

The actual deployment of the basic ITS will be a core component of MaaS, because it
makes is possible to share and coordinate the means of transportation, time and space,
and as a tool that can integrate and manage silo transportation systems.

4.2. TDM and UML utilizing basic ITS

The introduction of MaaS alone does not solve urban transportation problems. We
must comprehensively understand current and future traffic demands to develop the
appropriate transportation infrastructure, such as motorway, railroad, LRT, and BRT
as much as necessary, and aim to harmonize the supply and demand for sustainable
development of urban area. Furthermore, transportation of goods on urban area has to
be undertaken by only vehicles, logistics companies are competing each other and it is
difficult to collaborate in order to reduce traffic by themselves. TDM and ULM are
the most important means to solve these problems.

Currently, many cities have endeavored to introduce TDM and ULM as a means of
fundamentally solving congestion and environmental problems caused by the
concentration of vehicles in cities. However, they are facing difficulties of large-scale
deployment because it requires high costs, time and effort to develop the tools for
operation.

The basic ITS has enough potential to comprehensively solve these problems, as
shown in Table 3. Because they already have the functions necessary for TDM and
ULM, and the only thing we have to do is to create an operational framework and
organization for them.
Table 3. TDM and ULM countermeasures and utilization of ITS.

Methods TDM and ULM measures Utilization of ITS

•
Developing a motorway Reasonable planning by probe car
Road network
network (esp. Ring road) data

Parking lots management •

Parking Street parking management Parking space management by
management Loading space and time ETC 2.0
management
•
Supply-side Advanced traffic signal control by
measures probe car data
(ensuring traffic Traffic signal Regional integration
capacity) control Roundabouts
•
Green wave control

TOD (Transit Oriented

Development)
•
Developing a public
Public Reasonable planning by probe car
transportation network
transportation data
(subways, light rail transits
(LRT) and bus rapid
transits(BRT)
Demand-side Telework
measures Land use strategy (work near
•
(conventional house)
Travel origin Dynamic pricing by ETC 2.0
TDM) Transport Oriented
adjustment (parking/road/zone)
Development (TOD)
Parking pricing, road pricing,
Zone pricing
Time shift Flex time •
parking and road dynamic Dynamic pricing by ETC 2.0
pricing (parking/road/zone)
 Methods TDM and ULM measures Utilization of ITS
•
Integrated operation of IC
card + ETC 2.0 + smartphone
Park & Ride (P&R), park &
•
bus ride (P&BR)
Smartphone transit guide
Transit (improving transit,
Modal shift location system, fair
•
discount)
Bus location system
Transit mall, bicycle lane,
pedestrian zone
•
Zone and Gate management by
ETC 2.0

•
Real-time traffic information
Parking information
provision and Dynamic Route
Routes shift Real-time traffic information
Guidance (DRG) etc. using ETC
Car navigation systems
2.0 probe car data

•
Smartphone synergistic system

•
Electric vehicles and electric Sharing utilizing IC cards and
buses smartphones
Share-ride (car pool, van
Effective use
pool) •
of vehicles
Car sharing Joint distribution/space
Cooperative pickup and management using ETC 2.0
delivery
•
ETC 2.0 utilization logistics
support

Additionally, in order to solve urban transport problems, it is important to harmonize

supply and demand, including hardware and software. To that end, it is necessary to
evolve urban planning and transportation planning.
The important thing for here is the information gathering function for the creation of
an optimal plan. In the age of big data brought about by low-cost sensors, it is possible
to extract valuable and meaningful information from social information to society and
to share information with various entities.
 The organization and utility of this information for the future is an important research
area. In the future, big data analysis and artificial intelligence would become be an
attractive area.

5. Human centric city development using ITS

In discussing smart growth of cities, it makes no sense to focus on disadvantages
brought by vehicles and to have a stereotyped view that public transport is good for
society and vehicle is bad.
Vehicles are one of the important fruits of the machine age and it has brought drastic
changes to human lives and great convenience to society. We should study how to
compensate for their disadvantages by making use of state-of-the-art technologies like
ITS.

Suburban development through automobiles is not a good way to using them, because
it generates more vehicle traffic eventually. A comprehensive strategy is needed to
solve problems in suburban development. To this end, it is necessary to promote
improvement from three viewpoints in parallel, as shown in Fig. 13.

1. Download : Download high-res image (104KB)

2. Download : Download full-size image
 Fig. 13. A principle of trinity urban development for a human centric city.
Our goal is not introducing ITS but creating a human centric city. The first principle is
achieving a human-oriented city center. The city has a lush green center where people
walk through trees and chat in the sunshine, and offers a sustainable area with lively
shopping malls. Moreover, it has communities that foster the growth of children.

The second principle is developing useful public transportation access. In order to

develop a human centric city, ensuring public transportation access to the city center
is very important, because it is most efficient to have public transport responsible for
traffic in radial directions with intensive demands.

The third principle is developing a ring motorway. This can eliminate vehicles passing
through the city and create a space that allows a dedicated public transport lane.
Vehicles are indispensable for contemporary modern life; nevertheless, it is to no
one's benefit if they pass through the city.

During and after the development of adequate infrastructure, such as a ring motorway
and public transportation network, ITS is a useful tool for solving transportation
problems in the short term. Table 4 shows the countermeasures for developing human
centric cities by utilizing ITS.
Table 4. Countermeasures for human centric cities.

A Human centric city center

•
Zone management by ETC 2.0 (gate management, rising bollard management, zone charging)

•
Street parking management by CCTV camera and ETC 2.0, joint depot management

•
Regional point card system by NFC (securing transportation budget, etc.)

•
Providing guidance for walking, transit, sightseeing, foreigners by smartphones, digital signage,

•
Express the hospitality at information center, digital signage, and smartphone)

•
Bus & LRT location system by digital signage and smartphone
 B Public transport access
•
Integration transit information & sharing system by NFC and smartphone

•
Park & Ride by ETC 2.0, NFC, and smartphone

•
Public transportation location system

•
Expressway toll discount for highway bus by ETC 2.0

•
Parking demand management by ETC 2.0

C Ring motorway
•
Accurate grasp of actual road network traffic situation by ETC 2.0 probe information and CCTV camera

•
Integration of traffic information such as vehicles, public transportation, pedestrians by ETC 2.0 data,
NFC data and smartphones data for grasping actual traffic conditions in the entire urban area

•
Road network operation using travel time information provision and route-based discounts utilizing ETC
2.0

•
Providing P&R parking lot information and reservation service by ETC 2.0 and smartphone for improving
accessibility

6. Conclusion
Although various cities are tackling urban transportation problems using ITS, there
are many hurdles that must be overcome, such as applying international technical
standards, utilizing de facto and de jure platforms, architecture creation, and master
plan creation. In this paper, we proposed the introduction of the ITS technology to
solve the urban transport problem based on lessons learned from the introduction of
ITS in Japan. In particular, the introduction of ITS aims at alleviating congestion and
easing air pollution by collecting and providing traffic information. Starting from ETC
to collect funds spent on road development at low cost, it is now finally possible to
achieve zero traffic accident. ITS, additionally, has the potential to lead to mobile
services indispensable for the smart development of cities such as MaaS.

References
[1]
Hiroshi Makino, Akio Hosaka, Joji Kamata, Hiroyuki Mizutani, Tomohiro Ikeda

SMARTWAY Created Through Vehicles Infrastructure Cooperation: Building Safe

Roads with AHS and National Land Innovations
Morikita Publishing Co. Inc. (December 2013)
Google Scholar
[2]
H. Makino, H. Kanoshima, Y. Tanaka

System on road transport analysis by probe data and its application

25th World Road Congress Seoul 2015 (2015), p. 11
Google Scholar
[3]
Shunsuke Kamijo

Traffic monitoring and accident detection at intersections

IEEE Trans. ITS, 1 (2) (2000), pp. 108-118
Google Scholar
[4]
Shoichi Suzuki, Hiroshi Makino, Takahiro Tsukiji, Yukio Shikatani

Field operational testing of heavy vehicle monitoring using the ETC2.0 platform
22th ITS World Congress Bordeaux 2015, ERTICO (ITS Europe) (2015), p. 10
Google Scholar
[5]
H. Makino, S. Suzuki, T. Tukiji

Deployment strategy of cooperative ITS in Japan - towards ETC2.0

25th World Road Congress Seoul 2015 (2015), p. 11
Google Scholar
[6]
ACECC Technical Committee No.16

Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Introduction Guide Version 1.1

Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) and The Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating
Council (ACECC) (August 2016)
Google Scholar
© 2018 International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier Ltd.