C-ITS4U – User-Centered Methodology for Implementing C-ITS for Vulnerable Road Users
C-ITS4U develops C-ITS (Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems) based solutions for vulnerable road users. Although the technology is already being rolled out, cyclists and pedestrians have so far benefited only indirectly. The project therefore aims to change this by developing suitable applications. To achieve this, existing challenges and user needs in urban traffic environments are identified, and corresponding solutions are designed.
C-ITS4U develops C-ITS (Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems) based solutions for vulnerable road users. Although the technology is already being rolled out, cyclists and pedestrians have so far benefited only indirectly. The project therefore aims to change this by developing suitable applications. To achieve this, existing challenges and user needs in urban traffic environments are identified, and corresponding solutions are designed.
C-ITS4U specifically focuses on two use cases: warnings about hazardous situations and traffic flow optimization. The project identifies critical urban intersections in Salzburg and Graz, where concrete solutions are developed and demonstrated. In both cities this includes cooperative detection of dangerous situations and non-distracting warning concepts. An additional topic in Graz is traffic flow optimization. The aim of these solutions is to improve the safety of vulnerable road users and to increase the attractiveness of sustainable modes of transport.
Project goals
C-ITS4U aims to make C-ITS practically usable for vulnerable road users by developing and validating solutions for collision warnings and traffic flow optimization. Building on the predecessor projects Bike2CAV and ITflowS, the consortium combines technological innovation with user-centered design, with the goal of evaluating the concepts in the cities of Graz and Salzburg. The following developments form key elements of the process:
- Developing a user-centered overall framework with guidelines and recommendations for interoperable and inclusive C-ITS solutions.
- Developing a compact and lightweight C-ITS on-board unit enabling VRUs to transmit and receive C-ITS messages.
- Advancing precise real-time collision risk detection and warning logic through improved mapping and prediction models.
- Creating methods and interfaces for C-ITS-based traffic flow optimization (e.g., “Green Wave”) for cycling and walking.
- Designing intuitive and safe display and interaction concepts that allow VRUs to access C-ITS information without distraction.
- The developed solutions will be implemented and validated in prototype form. The resulting tools and processes will be prepared in a way that enables their use for future large-scale deployments of similar solutions.
Role of Salzburg Research in the project
In the project C-ITS4U, the Mobility and Transport Analytics contributes its expertise in the fields of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS), the development of warning strategies for vulnerable road users (VRUs), and the analysis and real-time processing of spatial-temporal data. Salzburg Research has many years of experience in the research and implementation of C-ITS systems. This extensive expertise directly supports the design, implementation, and evaluation of proof-of-concept prototypes in real-world environments. In addition, Salzburg Research is responsible for implementing the use case “Warning of Vulnerable Road Users” and for conducting a three-month demonstration operation at an intersection in Salzburg.
