Transport Systems Telematics

Book excerpt: The idea of telematics appeared more than a decade ago and it is possible to define it, in a general and simple way, as a communication system for collecting, processing and distributing information. The transport services market is definitely the most important area for telematic applications. Transport-telematics issues constitute a field of knowledge of transport that integrates information technology and telecommunications in applications for managing and controlling traffic in transport systems, stimulating technical and organizational activities that ensure improved effectiveness and safe operation of such systems. Integrated and cooperating telematic applications constitute intelligent transport systems. The basis of such systems is to efficiently collect and process information and to manage its flow within the system. This enables supplying information from almost all areas of transport activities in real time. Intelligent transport––supported by a number of integrated telecommunications, IT measurement and control engineering solutions, and by appropriate tools and software––comprises telematic applications. They have an extensive range of use in many areas of transport, allowing the integration of the means and types of transport, including its infrastructure, business organization and management processes. This monograph is a collection of selected papers presented at the jubilee transport telematics conference, TST 2010, and is the result of the work of many scientists associated with this area of knowledge and who had spent years with the conference.