In Hamburg, ITS is continuously making progress: Hamburg continues to make progress with ITS: In the city of Hamburg, a test track several kilometres long has been available for automated and connected driving since January 2018. Numerous traffic lights have been equipped for infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication to exchange data with passing vehicles. In addition, the urban traffic situation marks the circuit and enables the testing of cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) services and automated driving functions in a real urban traffic environment. Wireless communication between the vehicles and the traffic infrastructure is realised via LTE and WLAN (ITS-G5, IEEE 802.11p). All traffic light systems have been upgraded on the basis of the latest security standard PKI v1.3.1 (PKI = Public Key Infrastructure). This made the Hamburg test track a pioneer throughout Germany in terms of IT security for cooperative ITS services in operation.
An essential part of the upgrade is the local and digital provision of information on the traffic signal image (SPaT) and the existing road topology (MAP). Depending on the existing traffic signal system, information on the current traffic signal image's remaining time and, in the future, forecasts on the traffic signal image's further course can also be provided as part of the SPaT messages. The test track is continuously operated as a free, open and manufacturer-independent platform on which more than ten research institutions, vehicle manufacturers and technology companies are currently testing innovative mobility services, such as automated driving functions or safety assistance systems, in real traffic on public roads. On around nine kilometres from the Dammtor railway station via the exhibition halls, Landungsbrücken, Elbphilharmonie and Rödingsmarkt, 35 traffic lights are currently equipped with communication units (ITS-G5) and corresponding digital information provision. This forms the basis for implementing corresponding C-ITS services for the road users there. These include a traffic light phase assistant (GLOSA), as well as the protection of vulnerable road users (VRU), road works warning (RWW), traffic sign information (IVI) and traffic data collection (PVD). A continuous expansion of the test track as well as the transfer of successfully tested C-ITS services to other urban areas is planned until the end of 2023.
Automated and connected driving is an important building block for Hamburg's future mobility, as it can improve road safety and, above all, traffic efficiency for all participants, especially vulnerable road users in urban traffic, and thus also lead to lower emissions of noise and pollutants. For the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg as the operator, it is therefore important to continue to gain insights into the requirements for future infrastructure and the effects of automated driving on the city.
Image rights: FHH_BVM
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