TABLE OF CONTENTS An extensive array of IV R&D programs have been initiated worldwide as a component of government research focused on ITS generally. Primarily, these programs are focused on improved road safety, given that this is a key responsibility of public road authorities. In almost all cases, programs are conducted on a cost-shared basis with the automotive industry, which lends relevance and credibility and recognizes the consumer market as a factor in deployment of IV systems.
This chapter briefly reviews activities at regional, national, and state (U.S.) levels to offer a comprehensive high-level review, with further detail on the projects described provided in subsequent chapters. Where available, government policy perspectives, institutional sponsors, and funding levels are provided as context.
The Australian federal and state governments are very active in ITS and are in the early stages of exploring IV systems for road safety. Key priorities are in core ITS areas such as interoperability for tolling systems, architecture, and standards. These can be seen as building blocks for future cooperative systems. Ten-year ITS strategies have been developed for implementation. With regard to safety, the current focus is on understanding safety benefits and issues, including driver distraction, and to prioritize safety applications. ITS Australia is planning a major demonstration of IV technology in 2005 to showcase the future potential for safety.
One area of investigation focuses on how to handle the advent of active safety systems within the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). ANCAP has historically rated cars...
