C-Roads Germany: Cooperative Services in Real Operation
During its 6-year duration, the C-Roads Germany project has laid the foundation for the Europe-wide roll-out of intelligent and networked transport infrastructure, which forms the basis for cooperative, networked and automated mobility. Thus, the mobility of the future can already be experienced in Germany today.
Braunschweig, 15 December 2021
Since 2016, C-Roads Germany has been one of 18 European pilots implementing cooperative services in real traffic environments. The individual framework concepts and experiences are integrated into the overarching C-Roads platform. Through the C-Roads platform, public authorities and road operators join forces to enable the deployment, testing and harmonization of infrastructure-based cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems and Services (C-ITS) on European roads. Cross-border C-ITS services also become possible.
In the first project phase (2016-2021), Germany contributed to the C-Roads platform as a member state by implementing and operating a total of eight different C-ITS services. These services use the WLAN-based communication standard ETSI ITS-G5 and were successfully implemented and commissioned at two different pilot sites in Hesse and Lower Saxony:
- Probe Vehicle Data (PVD): Monitoring and analysing traffic data through vehicle status data to reach harmonised traffic flow
- Road works warning (RWW): Supporting foresighted driving for reducing number of accidents caused by roadworks
- Shockwave Damping (SWD): Smoothening traffic flow in dense traffic conditions by giving optimal speed recommendations
- Traffic Jam Ahead Warning (TJW): Reducing risk of potential accidents associated with driving in direction of a stationary traffic jam tail.
- Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA): For predicting green phases of traffic lights
and providing information if drivers can pass within a green phase - Emergency Vehicle Approaching (EVA): For a fast formation of the emergency lane or informing about a stationary vehicle securing an accident from further incidents.
- Maintenance Vehicle Warning (MVW): Helping to reduce number of accidents and traffic jams in connection of a slow or stationary maintenance vehicle.
- In-Vehicle Signage (IVS): Informing drivers about current traffic regulations and advices
As part of the strategy for deploying cooperative traffic technologies, Autobahn GmbH played a leading role in setting up the Hessian pilot together with partners from industry and science, thus further expanding Germany's test bed for automated and connected traffic. In the pilot area of Lower Saxony, a total of three cooperative services were developed and put into operation on a section of the A2 federal highway. A total of 63 communication units were installed for the services, both stationary at gantries or traffic lights (Roadside ITS Stations) and in service vehicles or passenger cars (Vehicle ITS Stations).
Fig.: Overview of the implementations in Hesse and Lower Saxony
The C-Roads Germany project, funded by the European Union, will end successfully at the end of 2021 and was implemented by 17 project partners under the leadership of ITS mobility as project coordinator and the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt) as technical coordinator.
As an extension and technical complement to the first project, C-ITS deployment in urban areas started in 2019. Germany as a member state is contributing to the implementation and operation of further C-ITS services in the cities of Hamburg, Kassel and Dresden with the follow-up project C-Roads Germany - Urban Nodes (Phase II). In addition to the C-ITS services implemented in Phase I, further services such as the protection of vulnerable road users (VRU), the prioritization of vehicles at traffic signals (TSP), and networked and cooperative navigation (Route Advice) will be secured and put into operation in urban environments by 2023 in the urban pilots.
The deployment of C-ITS services is an important milestone for Germany to increase road safety, make traffic more efficient and reduce emissions. C-Roads Germany has already implemented a wide range of C-ITS services on a large scale on highways in Hessen and Lower Saxony, and more will follow in the follow-up project by 2023 in Hamburg, Kassel and Dresden. This means that the mobility of the future can already be experienced in Germany today.
Further information:
Contact:
Coordinator C-Roads Germany
Steve Schneider
ITS mobility GmbH
steve.schneider@its-mobility.de
Press contact
Ariana Khesravi
ITS mobility GmbH
ariana.khesravi@its-mobility.de
The sole responsibility for this publication lies with the author. The European Union is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
