A basic ingredient of any successful economy is a well-functioning transportation network – the roads, railways, ferries, border crossings and public services necessary for the efficient flow of people and goods. In recent years, governments and industries have begun to improve these networks using Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) – advanced applications and innovative services that help users get the most out of their infrastructure.
Like many developed nations, Estonia has introduced a number of ITS solutions designed to make travel safer and logistics more convenient. For example, in March 2017, Estonia made it legal to test self-driven vehicles on all national and local roads in the country. Work is underway to create a full legal and cyber-risk management framework for using fully autonomous vehicles in regular road and traffic conditions.
The government’s view is that self-driven vehicles are more than just cars with no hands on the wheel, but rather a disruptive force for tens if not hundreds of services both in the private and public sector. This is the concept for providing new, more efficient, convenient and sustainable public services across Estonia.
The aim is to reorganise the public transportation system using self-driven vehicles. The government has adopted a plan to create a fleet management system, integrating such vehicles into the public transport system with journey planning and call-to-order bus stops. Similarly, the government will launch pilots in other public service areas to seek new models of public service delivery based on autonomous mobility. Visit Intelligent Transportation Systems Estonia website for more information.
