An intelligent transportation system (ITS) uses electronics, communications, or information processing—individually or together—to improve the efficiency or safety of surface transportation. In practice, ITS is an umbrella for connected technologies and the systems that coordinate them, from electronic toll collection and ramp meters to transit signal priority and traveler-information services.
What is the formal definition of ITS?
Federal regulation defines an intelligent transportation system this way: “Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) means electronics, communications, or information processing used singly or in combination to improve the efficiency or safety of a surface transportation system.” (23 CFR § 940.3.)
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The statute uses a closely related version that also names photonics: “electronics, photonics, communications, or information processing.” The two formulations have different wording; the regulation’s definition should not be presented as a verbatim quotation of the statute. (23 U.S.C., Chapter 5.)
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What does the definition mean in plain English?
ITS is technology applied to transportation so that roads, vehicles, transit services, and transportation operators can monitor conditions, exchange information, and support travel decisions or operations. A system can be a single technology or a set of components working together. It qualifies by its transportation purpose and function—not because it is a particular type of device.
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That makes ITS much broader than self-driving cars. Automated vehicles may use intelligent technologies, but ITS also includes roadside equipment, transit systems, traffic-management tools, and services that give travelers information. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) lists electronic toll collection, CCTV cameras, ramp meters, transit signal priority, and traveler-information systems among its examples. (USDOT: What are Intelligent Transportation Systems?)
What are examples of intelligent transportation systems?
| Example | How it fits the definition |
|---|---|
| Electronic toll collection | Processes tolls electronically using roadside and vehicle or payment components. |
| CCTV cameras | Provide roadside monitoring as part of transportation operations. |
| Ramp meters | Regulate vehicles entering a highway. |
| Transit signal priority | Coordinates transit vehicles and signal control to give transit priority at signals. |
| Traveler-information systems | Provide travelers with transportation information. |
| Connected-vehicle safety messages | Allow equipped vehicles and infrastructure to exchange information about other travelers or potential hazards. |
The first five are examples identified by USDOT’s ITS Joint Program Office; connected-vehicle communications are a related subset described by USDOT. (USDOT ITS examples; How Connected Vehicles Work.)
How do ITS architecture and standards fit in?
An ITS architecture is a framework for describing the systems, functions, and information exchanges needed to deliver transportation services. USDOT’s ARC-IT is a reference architecture: it offers a common framework, not a requirement to build one specific system or choose one product. (FHWA Regional ITS Architecture Guidance: Introduction.)
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Standards support interoperability by setting common interfaces and conventions for exchanging information. They generally do not prescribe the design of a particular product. USDOT’s ITS Joint Program Office defines interoperability as “The ability of different ITS devices and components to exchange and interpret data directly through a common communications interface, and to use the exchanged data to operate together effectively.” (USDOT ITS Standards.)
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USDOT says it established the ITS Standards Program in 1996. Standards matter when different devices, agencies, or services need to exchange data rather than operate in isolation. (USDOT ITS Standards.)
Are connected vehicles the same thing as ITS?
No. Connected vehicles are one part of the broader ITS category. USDOT describes connected-vehicle technologies as equipment, applications, or systems that use vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications to address safety, system efficiency, or mobility. Examples include vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. Many ITS deployments, including cameras and electronic toll collection, do not depend on V2X. (USDOT: How Connected Vehicles Work; USDOT ITS examples.)
USDOT’s connected-vehicle explainer describes short-range exchanges at roughly 300 meters. That figure describes the communications discussed on that page; it is not a universal range limit for every V2X technology. (USDOT: How Connected Vehicles Work.)
What is ITS intended to improve?
The federal definition names safety and efficiency as the outcomes ITS is used to improve. USDOT also describes goals that include mobility and productivity. These are aims, not guaranteed results: whether a particular installation reduces crashes, improves travel times, or delivers another benefit depends on the system and its evaluation. (USDOT ITS Joint Program Office: About.)
USDOT’s connected-vehicle page, last updated February 27, 2020, reported more than 37,000 U.S. traffic-crash deaths in 2018 and cited more than $140 billion per year in related costs from emergency response, fatalities, injuries, and property damage. Those are historical figures reported on that page, not current estimates. (USDOT: How Connected Vehicles Work.)
How to assess an ITS proposal
For a proposed system or deployment, ask what transportation problem it addresses, which systems and agencies must participate, what information will be exchanged, and what standards support interoperability. Also consider safety, privacy, security, and how outcomes will be evaluated. These questions help distinguish a functioning transportation system from a collection of devices that may not work together.
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