COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Preliminary Descriptions of Research and Innovation Areas and Fields Accompanying the document Communication Research and Innovation for Europe's Future Mobility
Date: 2012-09-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: common transport policy, innovation, research and development, sustainable mobility, technological change

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 13.9.2012  
SWD(2012) 260 final 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

Preliminary Descriptions of Research and Innovation Areas and Fields 

Accompanying the document 

Communication 

Research and Innovation for Europe's Future Mobility 

{COM(2012) 501 final} 

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Disclaimer: 

Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission may be 
held responsible for the use that may be made of the information contained in this publication. 
The  European  Commission  cannot  be  held  responsible  if  this  information  is  incomplete  or 
inaccurate. 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 4 

Rationale of this document .......................................................................................... 4 

Scope of the research and innovation fields................................................................. 4 

Clustering of Research and Innovation Areas.............................................................. 4 

Cross-cutting issues...................................................................................................... 5 

The structure of this paper............................................................................................ 6 

R&I Area: Clean, Efficient, Safe, Quiet and Smart Transport Means......................... 6 

Strategic Objective ....................................................................................................... 6 

Field 1: Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart road vehicles ...................................... 7 

Priority field 2: Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart aircraft.................................... 9 

Field 3: Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart vessels .............................................. 11 

Field 4: Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart rail vehicles ...................................... 13 

R&I AREA: Infrastructure and Smart Systems ......................................................... 14 

Strategic Objective ..................................................................................................... 14 

Field 5: Smart, green, low-maintenance and climate-resilient infrastructure ............ 15 

Field 6: Europe-wide alternative fuel distribution infrastructures ............................. 16 

Field 7: Efficient modal traffic management systems (including capacity and demand 
management) .............................................................................................................. 18 

R&I AREA: Transport Services and Operations for Passengers and Freight............ 20 

Strategic Objective ..................................................................................................... 20 

Field 8: Integrated cross-modal information and management services.................... 21 

Field 9: Seamless logistics ......................................................................................... 22 

Field 10: Integrated and innovative urban mobility and transport............................. 24 

1. 

1.1. 

1.2. 

1.3. 

1.4. 

1.5. 

2. 

2.1. 

2.2. 

2.3. 

2.4. 

2.5. 

3. 

3.1. 

3.2. 

3.3. 

3.4. 

4. 

4.1. 

4.2. 

4.3. 

4.4. 

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1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Rationale of this document 

1.1. 
The Communication on ‘Research and innovation for Europe’s future mobility’1, hereinafter 
referred  to  as  ‘the  communication’,  makes  proposals  on  how  research  and  innovation  can 
make a more substantial contribution to achieving European transport policy goals. 

The  communication  identifies  three  initial  Research  and  Innovation  areas  (R&I  areas)  and, 
within these areas, ten fields with a clear EU added value on which research and innovation 
(R&I)  should  focus.  The  ten  fields  have  been  identified  by  matching  the  current  state  and 
future  development  of  key  transport  technologies  as  outlined  in  the  report  ‘Scientific 
Assessment of Strategic Transport Technologies’2 with the policy requirements set out in the 
2011  White  Paper  on  Transport3.  According  to  expert  opinion,  these  ten  fields  have 
significant potential for helping achieve the White Paper’s objectives by 2030 — or by 2050 
in  the  case  of  some  fields.  They  also  take  into  account  the  specific  characteristics  of  the 
individual modes of transport as well as multimodal issues. However, they represent neither a 
final position nor a list of priorities for future research and innovation programmes.  

Based on the fields described in this paper, the Commission will now begin work to further 
assess and specify the objectives, timing, resources and instruments that are necessary to bring 
each of the fields to large-scale deployment. This will involve drawing up roadmaps, in close 
collaboration with relevant stakeholders. Existing work, for example roadmaps produced by 
European Technology Platforms, will be used as a starting point. The roadmapping exercise 
and  its  outcome  will  take  account  of  existing  Commission  proposals  and  activities  and  not 
supersede them. 

The  roadmaps  will  identify  the  challenges  all  along  the  innovation  chain  and  the  solutions 
they require. Processes, roles and structures will need to be designed. Indicative budgets will 
need to be identified and adaptive management and monitoring procedures will need to be put 
in place. 

1.2. 

Scope of the research and innovation fields 

For  the  purpose  of  this  paper,  a  field  is  defined  as  ‘a  comprehensive  set  of  technologies, 
methods  and  practices  with  a  shared  focus  on  addressing  societal  challenges  and 
competitiveness.  It  encompasses  all  elements  of  the  research  and  innovation  chain  (from 
research and demonstration to market uptake and deployment)’. 

This broad definition not only covers technological solutions from a conventional engineering 
and/or  scientific  perspective  but  also  their  use  in  the  transport  system.  It  thus  embraces  the 
user  and  his  or  her  priorities.  It  may  include  related  elements  by  which  deployment  can  be 
facilitated,  such  as  management  tools,  business  models,  service  design,  regulation, 
standardisation, public procurement, awareness raising, etc. It may also include market entry 
barriers,  longer-term  sustainability  and  life-cycle  issues  which  are  at  the  core  of  the  later 
phases of the innovation chain. 

1.3. 

Clustering of Research and Innovation Areas 

The three R&I areas presented in the communication cover the following fields: 

1 
2 

3 

Add reference to STTP communication. 
Scientific Assessment of Strategic Transport Technologies, EC Joint Research Centre, EUR 25211 EN, 
2012. 
Roadmap  to  a  Single  European  Transport  Area  —  Towards  a  competitive  and  resource  efficient 
transport system, COM(2011) 144 final . 

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• 

• 

• 

In the R&I area of means of transport, progress is needed on clean, safe, efficient and 
quiet  vehicles,  aircraft  and  vessels,  including  components,  propulsion  systems, 
materials  and  enabling  technologies.  The  anticipated  shift  towards  alternative  fuels 
will lead to important new requirements. 

In  the  R&I  area  of  infrastructure,  progress  is  needed  on  smart,  safe,  green,  low-
maintenance  and  climate-resilient 
fuel 
distribution  infrastructure,  modal  information  and  traffic  management  systems, 
demand management and other solutions related to infrastructure usage. 

including  alternative 

infrastructure, 

In the R&I area of transport services and operations, progress is needed on seamless 
and efficient services for passenger and freight transport, including public transport, 
logistics  and  smart  terminals,  as  well  as  integrated  travel  and  freight  information 
services. 

In order to structure and manage the future work, these fields have to be clustered. However, 
drawing clear boundaries between the fields is difficult — and, indeed, counterproductive as 
some issues overlap between different fields and the overlaps can be exploited when looking 
for synergies. 

1.4. 

Cross-cutting issues 

Some technologies or issues stretch across all three R&I areas and will need to be addressed 
in  an  integrated  and  cross-cutting  manner,  considering  the  specific  needs  of  each  field  (see 
Figure 1). These include: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Information  and  communication  technologies:  intelligent  ways  to  connect  transport 
means with each other and with infrastructure will help reduce congestion, improve 
safety, security and resilience in the transport system and make transport operations 
more reliable and punctual. 

Safety and security: these can be enhanced by improving the design and operation of 
transport means and infrastructures (including terminals). Crucial in this respect are 
passive  and  active  safety,  preventive  safety,  and  enhanced  automation  and  training 
processes to reduce the impact of human errors. 

Energy  and  energy  efficiency  improvement  technologies:  greater  energy-efficiency 
and reduced oil-dependency can be achieved through a holistic approach to transport 
means,  energy  storage  and  energy  supply  infrastructure  (including  vehicle-to-grid 
interfaces  and  innovative  solutions  for  the  use  of  alternative  fuels)  and  transport 
operations (e.g. eco-driving). 

Socio-economic  issues:  the  interaction  between  transport  policy  and  other  policy 
sectors,  such  as  environment,  land  use,  urban  planning,  employment,  health, 
accessibility etc. It will also be important to have modelling tools for improving the 
analytical capacity needed for policy development. Other issues that require attention 
include internalising the negative impact of transport (for example, through taxation 
and  pricing)  and  understanding  the  drivers  of  user  behaviour  and  how  to  use 
behavioural science to develop smarter tools.  

Strengthening the skills base in Europe to meet transport research and innovation objectives, 
to create jobs and to support economic growth. 

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Figure 1: a graphical presentation of the R&I areas and cross-cutting issues. 

1.5. 

The structure of this paper 

In  the  rest  of  this  paper,  the  presentation  of  each  of  the  R&I  areas  opens  with  a  short 
description of the policy objectives which that area addresses. It then outlines the fields within 
each  area,  describing  the  current  level  of  development  and  the  technology  needs.  In  some 
cases, the presentation already puts forward a list of the measures to be taken. 

2. 

R&I AREA: CLEAN, EFFICIENT, SAFE, QUIET AND SMART TRANSPORT MEANS 

2.1. 

Strategic Objective 

The  White  Paper  sets  the  EU  the  goal  of  reducing  greenhouse  gas  emissions  from  the 
transport sector by 60 % by 2050 with respect to 1990 levels. To achieve this objective, it is 
essential  to  improve  the  energy  efficiency  of  transport  operations  and  vehicles  across  all 
modes  of  transport.  However,  this  will  not  be  sufficient.  The  carbon  intensity  of  transport 
fuels must also be lowered. This will also help reduce the transport sector’s excessive reliance 
on  oil  products.  Much  more  must  therefore  be  done  to  develop  alternative  fuel  propulsion 
systems for all means of transport but particularly for road vehicles and aircraft. 

Vehicle  design  also  has  major  implications  for  safety,  another  central  concern  of  transport 
policy. Specifically for road transport, the White Paper sets the EU the strategic objective of 
halving the number of road casualties by 2020  and  moving  close  to  zero  fatalities  by  2050. 
Similarly,  the  White  Paper  emphasises  the  need  to  bring  safety  rules  into  line  with  the 
development  and  deployment  of  new  technologies  in  air  transport  (SESAR).  It  envisages 
developing  SafeSeaNet  into  the  core  system  for  all  the  information  tools  needed  to  support 

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maritime  safety  and  security  and  to  protect  the  marine  environment  from  ship-source 
pollution. Intelligent devices are also important for safety in road and rail vehicles. 

This R&I area covers four fields: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart road vehicles 

Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart aircraft 

Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart vessels 

Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart rail vehicles 

2.2. 

Field 1: Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart road vehicles 

Road transport accounts for the largest share of transport-related greenhouse gas emissions. In 
order  to  reduce  those  emissions,  therefore,  it  is  essential  to  develop  and  deploy  innovative, 
clean and efficient vehicles. The preferred policy option set out in the White Paper's Impact 
Assessment assumes that average emissions will be reduced to 20 g CO2/km for new cars and 
55  g  CO2/km  for  new  light  commercial  vehicles  by  2050,  through  the  use  of  emission 
standards. Furthermore, the fuel efficiency of trucks could be improved by 40 %. The White 
Paper's modelling of future scenarios also includes stricter standards for air pollution. 

Research  and  innovation  will  continue  to  play  an  important  role  in  optimising  the 
performance and cost competitiveness of future vehicles. Overall vehicle efficiency needs to 
be  further  improved  through  advanced  engine  design,  alternative  fuel  propulsion  systems, 
lightweight  materials,  increasing  the  recovery  of  waste  energy  and  system  optimisation. 
Vehicles will also have to be improved in order to fully exploit the potential of future drive 
train  concepts  and  new  infrastructure  systems.  Conventional  light  and  heavy-duty  vehicle 
designs  can  be  further  improved  especially  in  terms  of  aerodynamics,  low  resistance  tyres, 
etc. The unexploited potential is particularly great for trucks. 

Energy efficiency and alternative fuel propulsion systems 

Future  propulsion  systems  and  their  associated  technologies  vary  greatly  in  terms  of  their 
level of maturity and their suitability for road vehicles. The internal combustion engine is a 
mature  technology  that  will  undergo  further  incremental  improvements  leading  to  emission 
reductions.  The  internal  combustion  engine  is  likely  to  remain  the  dominant  propulsion 
technology in the market at least until 2030. 

With regard to alternative fuel uptake, differences are likely to persist between different kinds 
of vehicles. For passenger and light duty vehicles, blends of bio-ethanol or biodiesel appear to 
be  most  promising  alternative  fuels  until  2020.  In  the  medium  and  long  term  (2030-2050), 
electricity  and  hydrogen  are  expected  to  gain  larger  shares4.  In  terms  of  research  and 
innovation  needs,  electromobility  requires  technological  development  to  improve  its 
performance and economic efficiency. (The latter is measured in terms of energy density/cost 
per  unit  of  energy  stored  for  batteries,  power  density/cost  per  unit  of  power  for  fuel  cells, 
ageing  versus  number  of  recharging  cycles  for  batteries,  technical  performance  data  versus 
operating  hours  for  fuel  cells,  and  temperature  sensitivity  for  both  systems).  As  discussed 
further in field 6, another key issue is the availability of infrastructure for electric vehicles. In 

4 

According  to  the  reports  from  Member  States  on  their  Renewable  Energy  Action  Plans,  on  the 
contribution  of  the  different  forms  of  energy  towards  the  10 %  target  set  by  the  Renewable  Energy 
Directive, the estimated shares by 2020 are (total EU): 9.3-9.5 % of liquid biofuels, 1.0 % of electricity 
from  renewable  sources,  up  to  0.2 %  of  bio  methane  supplied  through  the  gas  grid  and  0.001 %  of 
hydrogen from renewable. 

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addition,  there  is a  good  outlook for bio-methane, synthetic fuels (BtL/GtL) and biofuels in 
the medium to long term. 

Specific issues for non-pluggable hybrid vehicles include further optimisation and adaptation 
of the combustion engine to HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) architecture, full integration of the 
power  train  with  the  hybrid  system  (including  waste  heat  recovery,  after  treatment  and 
control)  and  further  optimisation  of  current  battery  technologies,  adapting  them  to  different 
degrees  of  hybridisation.  There  are  also  specific  issues  relating  to  plug-in  hybrid  electric 
vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). For example, standards are needed for 
the  recharging  infrastructure,  vehicle-to-grid  communication  and  billing.  The  standards  for 
health-  and  safety-related  aspects  such  as  electromagnetic  interference,  user  protection  and 
emergency  handling  need  to  be  reviewed.  We  also  need  to  test  protocols  for  battery  testing 
(including  safety),  to  consider  well-to-wheel  emissions  in  emission  regulations  and  to 
investigate the impact of large-scale electrification on grid quality and stability. 

For heavy duty vehicles, biodiesel blends are expected to become more important in the short 
and medium term, whereas 2nd and 3rd generation biofuels are expected to gain in importance 
in  the  long  term.  In  terms  of  research  and  innovation  needs,  biomass  pathways  must  be 
optimised. Synthetic  fuels and methane in liquid  form  (LNG)  may  become  important  in  the 
medium term, specifically for long distance heavy duty vehicles. Hydrogen has high potential 
for  powering  zero-emission  heavy-  and  light-duty  vehicles  carrying  out  short  distance 
operation in urban areas, and in particular for buses. Synthetic fuels require research on bio-
pathways, as well as pilot plants for their production. 

Greater energy efficiency can also be achieved by developing and deploying on a wide scale 
extremely  compact  engines,  multi-fuel  engines,  homogeneous  charge-compression  ignition 
engines,  and  advanced  combustion  and  after-treatment  for  trucks  (i.e.  novel  combustion 
modes with efficient after-treatment, using non-precious metal catalytic systems). 

In terms of materials, energy efficiency can be improved by making greater use of lightweight 
materials  and  new  nanomaterial  applications.  It  is  also  important  to  develop  concepts  and 
materials  that  help  optimise  end-of-life  recovery  and  resource  efficiency,  as  well  as  new 
materials  for  semi-conductors.  Vehicle  design  is  important  from  an  energy-efficiency 
viewpoint, including the optimisation of aerodynamic designs and new vehicle concepts that 
take into account the design limits of innovative propulsion technologies. For example: 

New fully-automated vehicle concepts, automated driving and the impact of nomadic 
devices (smart phones, ubiquity etc.); 

Built-in  flexibility  in  vehicle  design  to  optimise  the  load  capacity  for  trucks 
(including optimised chassis control); 

Assessing  the  safety  and  environmental  impact  of  new  types  of  vehicle  and  their 
effects  on  intermodal  competition,  and  perhaps  subsequently  demonstrating  such 
vehicles; 

Innovative  trailers  and  loading  platforms  to  increase  flexibility,  speed  and  loading 
capacity. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Safety 

Achieving  the  targets  set  out  in  the  White  Paper  will  require  the  universal  deployment  of 
Intelligent  Transport  Systems  (see  field  7),  based  on  exchanges  of  information  between 
vehicles and the road infrastructure. These exchanges fall into three categories: infrastructure-
(V2V) 
to-infrastructure 
communication.  They  are  based  on  new  ICTs  (Information  and  Communication 

(V2I)  and  vehicle-to-vehicle 

(I2I),  vehicle-to-infrastructure 

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Technologies) which enable ubiquitous communication of all three kinds. On-board automatic 
collision avoidance systems can also minimise the risk of collision with pedestrians, cyclists 
or objects. 

Active and integrated road safety and security applications aim to give drivers and other road 
users  the  information  they  need  to  help  them  avoid  an  accident,  or  to  mitigate  its 
consequences  should  it  occur.  Research  and  development  activities  must  take  into 
consideration the three main factors that affect transport safety: the driver, the vehicle and the 
infrastructure / traffic environment. The optimal Intelligent Transport System (ITS) for safety 
applications  will  be  one  that  takes  into  account  the  effects  of  all  three  of  these  contributors 
and  builds  on  the  interactions  between  them.  Market  uptake  and  deployment  must  be 
rigorously pursued in the future. It would mean setting new standards, creating a more robust 
understanding  of  driver  behaviour,  raising  user  awareness  to  stimulate  demand  for  such 
systems,  setting  up  appropriate  policy  frameworks  and  providing  incentives  for  more 
investment in road-safety-related systems and services. 

The main technology objectives should include improving the passive safety design of  road 
vehicles, including features for protecting vulnerable road users. But they should also include 
active  safety  technologies,  technologies  for  providing  emergency  services  (e.g.  e-call)  and 
technologies for automated road-side checks and law enforcement. 

Objectives in the field of tracking, tracing and navigation services include: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Providing highly accurate navigation services that monitor how the driver is steering 
the vehicle and assist the driver by providing lane information. 

Micro-routing,  i.e.  providing  highly  detailed  route  guidance  information.  This 
includes  information  on  the  surrounding  environment,  routing  for  pedestrians  and 
cyclists and indoor routing. 

Strategic routing, i.e. enhanced routing functionalities that take into account certain 
pre-defined strategies. 

Receiving road safety alerts and/or notifications directly from other vehicles (vehicle 
to vehicle — V2V) and possibly from other road users. 

Receiving  information  on  the  timing  of  traffic  lights  when  approaching  light-
controlled junctions, and giving the driver appropriate instructions about the optimal 
speed at which he/she should drive in order to reach the junction when the lights turn 
green (infrastructure to vehicle — I2V); 

Continuously  increasing  the  computational  capability  of  route  guidance  and 
navigation services. 

2.3. 

Priority field 2: Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart aircraft 

In  aviation,  technological  advances  are  helping  reduce  aviation  fuel  consumption  and 
associated  carbon  emissions,  as  well  as  noise  and  other  emissions  (e.g.  NOx)  that  have  an 
adverse  effect  on  the  environment  or  health.  On  a  per-flight  basis,  efficiency  is  expected  to 
improve  continuously  through  2050  and  beyond.  The  White  Paper’s  preferred  scenario 
assumes a 60 % improvement in aircraft energy efficiency by 2050, compared with 2005. 

In 2011, the High Level Group on Aviation Research presented a report entitled ‘Flight path 
2050 — Europe’s vision for aviation’. This sets out the main challenges Europe must address 
in order to maintain its global leadership as well as serving society’s needs. Europe also has a 
vigorous  programme  of  aeronautics  and  air  transport  research,  which  is  already  delivering 
important  benefits  to  the  aviation  industry,  helping  it  move  towards  the  ‘2020  Vision’ 

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objectives.  This  research  includes  EU-wide  collaborative  projects  under  the  Framework 
Programme,  the  Clean  Sky  Joint  Technology  Initiative,  SESAR  (Single  European  Sky  Air 
traffic  management  Research),  national  programmes  in  many  Member  States  and  research 
establishments as well as various industrial programmes. 

Aeronautical  research  is  currently  in  a  transitional  phase  where  maturing  R&D  is  being 
brought to the market while a new innovation cycle for next-generation aircraft is beginning. 
The  results  of  the  completed  research  will  deliver  significant  improvements,  such  as  fuel-
efficient  engines  and  lighter  materials.  Fuel-saving  design  features  such  as  winglets  have 
already become standard. As automation and high technology make flying ever safer it may 
become possible to use unmanned and remotely-piloted aircraft for non-military operations. 

Energy efficiency and environmental impact 

Current RTD aims at 50 % fuel burn improvements (compared to 2000) for aircraft entering 
the market from 2020. More significant savings are on the longer-term agenda and will help 
the  industry  achieve  its  overarching  goal  of  cutting  global  aviation  emissions  by  50 %  by 
20505.  In  the  short  term,  reducing  drag  and  increasing  the  use  of  lightweight  materials  will 
continue to bring fuel savings. In the medium and long term, important gains may come from 
light electrical actuators, active flow control technologies, morphing wings and new aircraft 
architectures (such as the blended wing body) where the engines are better integrated. Even 
with  the  existing  fleet,  potential  benefits  can  come  from  optimised  air  traffic  management 
(e.g. continuous climbing and continuous descent approach, green taxiing etc.), as discussed 
further under field 7.  

In the short term, further technological progress (e.g. improved aerodynamics, increased use 
of lightweight turbine and compressor materials) can enhance the performance of the existing 
gas  turbine  engine  and  reduce  its  fuel  consumption  and  associated  CO2  emissions.  Steadily 
moving  towards  low  NOx  combustors  will  also  improve  the  environmental  friendliness  of 
engines.  As  with  the  airframe,  engine  noise  can  be  tackled  using  active  or  passive  noise 
reduction  technologies.  In  the  medium  term,  new  engine  core  concepts  with  optimised  heat 
management,  use  of  heat  resistant  materials  and of  active  control,  etc.  can  bring  substantial 
improvement. In the longer term, innovative architectures such as open rotor or recuperative 
engines have the potential to bring significant fuel savings. 

More  research  and  innovation  are  also  needed  to  reduce  the  noise  perceived  by  the  public. 
This calls for technological solutions such as passive shielding and active noise control on the 
many  aircraft  components  that  generate  noise  (landing  gear,  flaps,  slats  etc.).  The  design  of 
low-noise aircraft/engine configurations is another way to reduce noise at its source. 

A further goal set by the White Paper is to increase the share of low-carbon sustainable fuels 
in aviation to 40 % by 2050. Further research and development is needed to produce suitable 
low-carbon aviation fuels that can guarantee the same level of safety currently obtained with 
kerosene.  This  includes  similar  lubrication  properties,  a  similarly  low  freezing  temperature 
and  high  flash  point,  the  capacity  to  relight  the  combustor  at  high  altitude  under  severe 
weather conditions, etc. Furthermore, to encourage the market uptake of aviation biofuels we 
need international standards and appropriate business models. Major efforts need to be made 
to accelerate the large-scale production of such fuels. 

The design and manufacture of the aircraft, its operation and its recycling should be subject to 
a full-cycle analysis with a view to maximising the efficient use of resources and minimising 
the impact on the environment. 

5 

Together with optimised ATM and operations and biofuels. 

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Safety 

The  safety  standard  in  air  transport  in  Europe  is  very  high  and  it  has  a  good  track  record. 
Safety  must  continue  to  be  a  priority  when  designing  and  testing  aircraft,  their  components 
and  the  air  traffic  management  system.  Lessons  learned  from  extreme  weather  events  and 
other  hazards  should  be  continuously  integrated  into  the  process.  The  European  Aviation 
Safety  Agency  (EASA)  may  need  to  review the  standards  which  have  been  developed  over 
the  last  sixty  years  or  more.  The  certification  methodologies  should  evolve,  integrating 
modern  design  and  testing  techniques  and  becoming  cheaper  and  more  efficient.  This  will 
allowing the swift and cost-effective development of regulatory standards needed to integrate 
new  technologies  with  the  highest  level  of  safety.  It  would  help  if  the  EU  showed  strong 
leadership, coordinating safety-related research in Europe. 

The main technological objectives should be to: 

• 

• 

• 

better predict, measure, and react to extreme weather events and other hazards; 

adopt a coherent approach to safety analysis at early design and development stages 
and integrate advanced design and testing technologies into the certification process; 

develop  new  technologies  that  ensure  safety  while  providing  an  increased  level  of 
automation. 

The  life  cycles  in  aeronautics  are  long  (an  aircraft  operates  for  around  30  years)  and 
developing  new  generation  aircraft,  systems  and  equipment  is  a  very  expensive  business. 
Consequently,  continuity  and  support  are  needed  at  all  stages  of  technological  research, 
including upstream and applied research, integrating new technologies into aviation systems 
and  demonstrating  them.  Such  support  is  crucial  to  keep  Europe's  aviation  industry 
competitive, given the major investment in this field in other parts of the world. 

2.4. 

Field 3: Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart vessels 

The preferred scenario of the Impact Assessment accompanying the White Paper assumes a 
45 % improvement in energy efficiency for ships by 2050 compared with 2005, as a result of 
emission  standards.  Technology  will  play  a  significant  role  in  achieving  the  White  Paper’s 
goals for the waterborne sector (which covers both maritime and inland waterways transport). 

Ships are typically used for a minimum of 20-30 years. Europe therefore needs a change of 
mindset and the accelerated introduction of new technologies if it is to meet its overall goals 
for the whole shipping fleet by 2050. Retro-fitting new technology into existing ships is often 
cumbersome  and  costly.  More  efficient  retro-fitting  concepts  and  a  new  generation  of  far 
more efficient ships therefore need to be developed, tested and brought into operation over the 
next  10-20  years.  Modular  building  techniques  using  standardised  modules  could  make  for 
more efficient assembly, repair and retro-fitting, and could make it easier to recycle the vessel 
at the end of its service life. 

Energy efficiency and environmental impact 

In maritime transport, using more efficient and cleaner energy will enable shipping companies 
to  reduce  their  emissions  of  conventional  pollutants  and  greenhouse  gases,  and  to  become 
more  resilient  to  fluctuations  in  fuel  prices.  In  particular,  an  extensive  use  of  Liquefied 
Natural  Gas  (LNG)  is  expected  to  reduce  the  environmental  impact  of  waterborne  traffic  in 
the  coming  years.  More  work  needs  to  be  done  on  fuel  cells,  hybrid  ships,  superconductors 
and electricity storage (and to a certain extent the use of wind power) if these are to become 
real alternatives for maritime transport. The use of shore side electricity (cold-ironing) should 
be  further  assessed:  it  could  have  great  potential  in  ports  with  easy  access  to  renewable 

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energy.  Shore  side  electricity  can  be  made  even  more  efficient  by  using  highly-efficient 
conversion devices such as fuel cells fed on renewable hydrogen or on ships’ waste water. 

In inland waterway transport, conventional engine technologies can be improved by fully or 
partly  replacing  fossil  fuels  (marine  diesel,  gas  oil)  by  natural  gas  (LNG)  or  by  fuel  gained 
from renewable sources. 

Building  up  the  infrastructure  for  LNG  in  ports  can  serve  three  types  of  transport  carriers: 
maritime vessels, inland waterway barges and trucks that frequently come to ports. 

In  terms  of  vessel  design  and  materials,  new  hull  materials  such  as  hybrid  materials  and 
carbon  fibre  will  replace  steel  plates  and  reduce  ship  weight  and  thus  emissions.  Ships  can 
also be made more efficient by better integrating their on-board sub-systems and optimising 
their  energy  use.  Water  resistance  and  thus  fuel  consumption  can  be  reduced  by  more 
effective and more environmentally-friendly hull coatings and monitoring systems, optimised 
propellers, optimised hull shapes, hybrid propulsion and the use of air bubble lubrication, air 
cavity  systems  and  turbulence  control  systems.  Moreover,  eliminating  ballast  water  from 
ships  will  prevent  them  from  introducing  alien  invasive  species  into  fragile  marine 
environments. 

The  economy  of  inland  waterway  vessels  is  especially  sensitive  to  changing  infrastructure 
parameters  such  as  water  depth  and  stream  flow  rate.  Predicted  climate  changes  could  alter 
the  usual  parameters,  especially  in  free-flowing  rivers.  Innovations  are  therefore  needed  to 
adapt  vessels  to  such  changes.  For  example,  ships  may  need  to  be  re-designed  in  terms  of 
their shape and size, and be made of new, light-weight materials. 

Economic efficiency and information technologies 

New  ship  concepts  such  as  ‘super  large  container  ships’  for  maritime  transport  and  ‘barges 
resilient  to  fluctuating  water  levels’  for  inland  navigation  will  also  increase  the  system’s 
efficiency. 

New  information  and  communication  technologies  both  on  board  ships  and  on  shore  will 
make  navigation  safer,  enable  more  efficient  routing,  tracking  and  tracing,  help  detect  and 
deter  pirates  and  optimise  co-modal  logistics  chains.  Ships  optimised  for  sailing  new  and 
much shorter Arctic routes will reduce travelling distances and thus save time and energy. 

In  inland  waterway  transport,  more  advanced equipment on board will make navigation not 
only more efficient and environmentally friendly but also safer. Innovation should be focused 
on sophisticated but affordable stowage systems, automatic ballasting systems, remote control 
solutions and further automation of on-board processes. 

Safety 

Navigational  support  can  be  improved  by  using  accurate  inland  ship  positioning  data  (from 
GPS  and  Galileo),  including  heading  data  that  enables  automated  docking  assistance,  path 
keeping and auto-piloting, automatic collision detection and emergency manoeuvring. 

In  summary,  to  develop  new  generations  of  innovative  and  efficient  ships  and  barges 
equipped  with  the  abovementioned  technologies,  Europe  must  combine  research  and 
innovation with market uptake and deployment. Policy-driven action might be needed in the 
following areas: 

• 

• 

• 

LNG and other alternative energy sources for propulsion 

Energy management 

Hull/water interaction and propulsion optimisation 

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• 

• 

• 

New materials and designs used for ship construction 

New ship concepts 

New information and communication technologies 

2.5. 

Field 4: Clean, efficient, safe, quiet and smart rail vehicles 

Rail is today the only transport mode which is largely independent of oil as a primary source 
of  energy.  Although  rail  already  addresses  the  key  challenges  for  the  transport  sector,  the 
preferred  scenario  of  the  Impact  Assessment  accompanying  the  White  Paper  makes  the 
assumption  of  a  40 %  improvement  in  energy  efficiency  for  trains  by  2050  compared  with 
2005, as a result of emission standards. 

The  overall  vision  for  the  future  of  rail  transport  is  to  increase  its  role  in  the  European 
transport  system  by  providing  seamless  and  integrated  high-speed  passenger  services  and 
long-distance freight services, as well as efficient metropolitan and urban mass transport. To 
attain this, technological improvements will need to be made within the rail system (including 
rail vehicles).  

Key topics for research and innovation related to rolling stock should be: 

- Braking technology. Improvements are needed especially to facilitate the operation of longer 
and heavier trains (management of longitudinal forces) and to reduce noise. New designs for 
braking  systems  and  new  materials  for  brake  components  are  both  important  aspects  of 
innovation and development. Better braking technology can also improve the performance of 
high-speed and regional passenger networks. 

-  Innovative  electric  power  supply/management  and  propulsion  systems.  These  can  help 
reduce energy consumption and make better use of regenerated energy in the rail system, for 
example by temporarily storing energy on board or on the ground. Improvements should also 
be made to the power supply for freight wagons (‘electrification of freight trains’). There is an 
increasing  demand  for  access  to  electric  power  on  freight  wagons,  both  for  railway-internal 
use (e.g. activation of brakes) and — mainly — for heating/cooling of reefer-containers/reefer 
swap  bodies  carried  on  trains.  The  lack  of  power  supply  on  freight  wagons  makes  it  much 
more difficult for rail operators to enter certain market segments. The development of cost-
efficient  dual-power/hybrid-locomotives  would  enable  new  production  methods  in  single 
wagonload, intermodal and trainload operations. 

-  New  high-strength  and  light-weight  materials.  These  help  further  improve  the  payload-
deadweight ratio in rail traffic and enable new vehicle designs. 

The  following  research  and  innovation  topics  should  address  the  rail  system  more  broadly 
(interplay between rolling stock and infrastructure, smart systems or cross-cutting issues): 

-  Train  formation  technologies/coupling  (automatic  central  couplers).  The  introduction  of 
automatic  central  couplers  would  have  a  number  of  highly  desired  system  effects,  such  as 
making  it  possible  to  operate  longer  and  heavier  trains,  rationalising  the  train  formation 
process  and  making  it  easier  to  supply  on-board  power  to  freight  trains.  By  extension,  it 
would  also  enable  new  production  methods,  such  as  Train  Coupling  and  Sharing  (TCS). 
Research  and  innovation  should  help  create  the  right  technology  for  an  Automatic  Central 
Coupler and to outline possible migration strategies. 

- Process innovation in servicing and maintaining complex rolling stock and infrastructure. 
This is important for improving reliability and productivity and for reducing life-cycle costs. 
Continuous  process  innovation  and  the  provision  of  such  services  by  the  railway  suppliers 

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will  also  help  ensure  that  European  rolling  stock  manufacturers  remain  competitive,  
especially vis-à-vis new market entrants from China/Asia. Standardising components should 
greatly  help  rationalise  vehicle  maintenance.  Research  should  also  address  the  question  of 
mutual recognition of inspections and better international cooperation in accrediting Certified 
Bodies. This would enable the Single European Railway Area to function better. 

- Automation. This is clearly important in relation to automated coupling and automatic brake 
testing. It is also important when applied to the terminal handling of wagons and intermodal 
loading units. Moreover, remote-controlled locomotives running in the middle or at the rear of 
trains  would  make  it  easier  to  introduce  long  trains.  A  breakthrough  in  the  automated 
operation  of  metropolitan  railway  systems  is  already  under  way,  while  automated  or  semi-
automated trains operating mainline services could become a reality within the time horizon 
of  the  White  Paper.  Research  and  innovation  should  also  cover  the  socio-economic 
implications of automation, and its impact on working conditions. Automation should also be 
applied  to  the  detection  of  derailments.  Automated  train  operation  will  rely  heavily  on 
information technologies (IT). 

- Development and better use of information technologies. Better IT should pave the way for 
intelligent  freight  wagons  and  trains,  making  it  possible  to  improve  not  only  traffic 
management  but  also  operational  performance  and  productivity.  Better  IT  will  also  address 
passengers’ and freight customers’ needs for information in order to optimally integrate rail 
into advanced and demanding logistic solutions and travel chains. 

-  Security.  This  is  important  for  enabling  high-value  goods  to  be  carried  by  rail  and  for 
maintaining  customer  confidence  in  rail's  ability  to  transport  damage-sensitive  goods. 
Research and innovation are also needed to improve rail transport links with countries outside 
the EU. 

transhipment 

in  particular 

technologies.  Rail-rail 

important  for 
-  Transhipment 
implementing new production methods for intermodal traffic. It is also becoming crucial for 
developing  rail  traffic  along  the  Europe-Asia  axis,  which  has  to  cope  with  two  different 
gauges. Furthermore, transhipment technology needs to become more efficient in intermodal 
terminals that connect rail with road, sea and air transport. For example, direct transhipment 
between  ship  and  train  is  important  for  innovative  main-port  to  dry-port  connections,  and 
good links with airports are needed for the introduction of high-speed rail freight services. An 
important aim must be to reduce energy consumption in transhipment processes, in order to 
further strengthen the environmental competitiveness of intermodal transport solutions. 

is 

3. 

R&I AREA: INFRASTRUCTURE AND SMART SYSTEMS  

3.1. 

Strategic Objective 

To further the EU's aim of creating a Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), the White 
Paper sets certain benchmarks. The key targets are to create a fully functional and EU-wide 
multimodal  TEN-T  ‘core  network’  by  2030,  leading  to  a  high-quality  and  high-capacity 
network by 2050, with a corresponding set of information services. 

A transport system with a multimodal backbone and that relies on optimal modal choices to 
enhance  its  efficiency  must  have  multimodal  terminals  strategically  located  along  the 
network.  Multi-modal  infrastructure  interfaces  are  essential  for  cross-modal  optimisation, 
both for passenger and freight transport. Along the same lines, the White Paper calls for all 
core network airports to be connected to the rail network by 2050, and for core seaports to be 
linked to the rail freight system and the inland waterway system, where possible. 

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Transport infrastructure must also contribute to low-carbon transport by providing appropriate 
recharging and refuelling facilities for innovative low-carbon vehicles and vessels, and these 
facilities  must  meet  established  distribution  standards.  The  ‘core  network’  should  test  best 
practices and innovative technologies with a view to minimising the environmental impact of 
transport. 

Efficiently  integrating  the  different  modes  of  transport  requires  the  availability  of  reliable, 
updated and interoperable flows of data and information regarding transport nodes and links. 
ICT solutions are also needed to optimise the use of the existing infrastructure. This will be 
cheaper and have less environmental impact than building new infrastructure. Thus one of the 
White  Paper's  ten  goals  is  the  deployment  of  the  modernised  air  traffic  management 
infrastructure (SESAR) in Europe by 2020.  

information  systems  based  on 

Similarly,  the  White  Paper  calls  for  the  deployment  of  equivalent  land  and  waterborne 
transport  management  systems,  including  the  European  Rail  Traffic  Management  System 
(ERTMS)  and  rail 
the  Technical  Specification  of 
Interoperability (TSI) relating to telematic applications for passenger services (TAP) and for 
freight (TAF). Also to be deployed are maritime surveillance systems (SafeSeaNet), the long-
range  identification  and  tracking  of  vessels,  River  Information  Services  (RIS),  Intelligent 
Transport  Systems  (ITS)  with  a  strong  road  transport  basis,  and  the  European  Global 
Navigation  Satellite  System  (Galileo).  The  preferred  scenario  modelled  for  the  Impact 
Assessment  accompanying  the  White  Paper  envisages  lower  congestion  and  higher  energy 
efficiency thanks to the deployment of these intelligent transport systems. 

The  White  Paper  also  makes  a  strong  EU  commitment  to  move  towards  fully  applying  the 
‘user  pays’  and  ‘polluter  pays’  principles,  and  calls  on  the  private  sector  to  eliminate 
distortions  (including  harmful  subsidies),  to  generate  revenues  and  to  help  finance  future 
investment in transport. In future, transport users are likely to pay for a higher proportion of 
infrastructure  construction  costs  than  it  is  presently  the  case.  This  would  make  for  less 
distorted  modal  choices  and  more  judicious  decisions  on  organisation  and  localisation  of 
activities. The pay-back period for construction costs should be consistent with the economic 
life  of  the  facility.  By  way  of  illustration,  the  preferred  scenario  of  the  Impact  Assessment 
accompanying  the  White  Paper  assumes  that  the  external  costs  of  operating  heavy  goods 
vehicles,  passenger  cars,  motorcycles,  passenger  and  freight  rail  services,  inland  navigation 
and aviation will be fully internalised by 2050. 

In  addition,  the  White  Paper  proposes  setting  up  a  validated  framework  for  charging  urban 
road users and for applying access restriction schemes. Interoperability standards would have 
to be drawn up for the equipment, to reduce production costs and improve users' acceptance, 
and  there  would  have  to  be  a  careful  examination  of  how  to  avoid  negative  impacts  on 
accessibility to urban centres. 

This R&I area covers three fields: 

• 

• 

• 

Smart, green, low-maintenance and climate-resilient infrastructure 

Europe-wide alternative fuel distribution infrastructures 

Efficient  modal  traffic  management  systems  (including  capacity  and  demand 
management) 

3.2. 

Field 5: Smart, green, low-maintenance and climate-resilient infrastructure 

Infrastructure in the form of roads, airports, waterways, ports and rails/stations along with the 
relevant  multi-modal  interfaces  make  for  a  coherent,  more  efficient  and  safer  transport 
system. Parts of the European transport networks already face congestion problems, especially 

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on  urban  roads  and  near  ports  and  airports,  and  there  are  bottlenecks  at  terminals  for  all 
modes.  Given  the  likely  future  demand  for  transport  and  the  limited  funding  available  for 
major  spending  on  infrastructure,  new  ways  must  be  found  to  improve  the  management  of 
Europe's  existing  transport  infrastructure.  At  the  same  time,  infrastructure  maintenance  and 
renewal  can  impose  a  considerable  financial  burden  on  authorities  and  infrastructure 
managers,  raising  the  need  for  more  cost-effective  construction  and  maintenance  materials 
and techniques. New materials and monitoring systems can also help make the networks less 
vulnerable  to  climate  change  and  limit  the  environmental  impact  of  their  construction, 
maintenance and operation. 

Several  promising  technologies  are  already  mature  or  are  expected  to  be  available  in  the 
medium  term.  The  priorities  are  to  develop  integrated  solutions  that  exploit  technological 
improvements in related fields and to promote innovative applications that lead to interactive 
technologies and systems. At the same time, steps must be taken to improve the infrastructure 
interfaces needed for efficient intermodal and cross-modal applications, and to develop new 
materials and construction methods to reduce resource use and maintenance. Synergies with 
other fields should be sought wherever possible, especially with those in this R&I area (e.g. 
applications  to  help  integrate,  in  a  synergetic  way,  inland  waterway  shipping  activities  with 
other uses of rivers and canals). 

The main action in future should combine research, demonstration and implementation work 
on all transport modes: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Design  and  create  efficient 
improved  mobility, 
specifically  targeting  transport  network  systems  and  stressing  the  importance  of 
interoperable  and  inter-modal  networks  and  interfaces  across  Europe,  including 
interfaces between neighbouring countries. 

infrastructure  networks  for 

Develop  coordination  mechanisms  and  structures  that  would  allow  operators  to 
provide  seamless  services  with  a  minimum  number  of  interruptions.  The  structures 
and mechanisms must be sufficiently resilient to handle the impact of these services, 
using integrated information and communication systems. 

Set  up  multimodal  centres  throughout  the  European  transport  network  and  deploy 
eco-innovations  in existing terminals, e.g. new  terminal design concepts in ports to 
facilitate interaction between modes. 

Take steps to reduce the consumption of natural resources. Set specific targets for the 
energy  embodied  in  construction  materials  and  raw  materials.  Reduce  waste  and 
make construction materials more easily recyclable. In particular, develop innovative 
materials  and  technologies  for  recycling  and  reusing  construction  waste  that  are 
likely to have an impact on the logistics system. 

Find innovative ways to improve safety, such as technologies and infrastructures for 
informing  drivers  about  road  hazards,  and  road  infrastructure  that  is  ‘self-
explanatory’ and ‘forgiving’. 

Carry out R&D to extend the life-span of existing infrastructures, to achieve a better 
understanding of degradation and ageing processes and to reduce disruption caused 
by network congestion. 

3.3. 

Field 6: Europe-wide alternative fuel distribution infrastructures 

As already outlined in fields 1 to 4, alternative fuel propulsion systems are going to be central 
to  the  development  of  road  vehicles,  vessels,  aircraft  and  trains.  The  large-scale  uptake  of 

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such vehicles, addressed by this field, depends partly on the availability of alternative fuels, in 
terms of their production and of the refuelling infrastructure. 

All  fuel  options  need  to  be  assessed  according  to  how  far  they  have  progressed  along  the 
research  and  innovation  chain  and  how  ready  they  are  for  large-scale  deployment.  in  the 
various transport modes. Major transitions in fuel infrastructure need support and fostering to 
meet  the  stated  objectives.  Today’s  lack  of  harmonised  alternative  fuelling  infrastructure 
slows  down  development,  reduces  opportunities  for  economies  of  scale  and,  subsequently, 
increases costs and hampers acceptance by businesses and consumers. 

A level playing field and a stable regulatory framework for all fuel alternatives is required, to 
reduce the long-term risk for investors. EU legislation  on CO2 emissions  and on the  carbon 
content  of  all  fuels  in  the  European  fuel  mix  need  to  set  increasingly  stringent  targets  and 
clear roadmaps beyond 2020 for all modes of transport. This will give industry the signal it 
needs  to  make  firm  plans  for  investing  in  alternatively-fuelled  transportation  technologies. 
The Renewable Energies Directive (2009)6 is an important framework to promote the use of 
renewable energy sources, including in transport. The EU is the only region of the world with 
binding  sustainability  criteria  for  biofuels  and  biomass,  and  this  should  influence  global 
production. 

Without prejudging on-going and future work on alternative fuels for transport, the following 
fuels represent potential according to experts.  

For  liquid  biofuels,  the  petroleum-based  fuel  infrastructure  can  be  used.  Research  and 
innovation activities could look at ways of changing the existing infrastructure and setting up 
a  dedicated  distribution  system  for  higher-blend  biofuels  (above  10 %  ethanol  and  7 % 
biodiesel),  and  should  develop  and  implement  standards  for  refuelling  equipment  and 
components. 

Synthetic fuels (HVO, Fischer-Tropsch fuels, and especially those obtained from sustainable 
biomass) provide an important alternative and should be promoted (a) to bring research results 
closer  to  the  market,  (b)  to  enhance  the  efficiency  and  economic  viability  of  production 
processes, and (c) to lower the initial investment costs by having not only a stable regulatory 
framework  but  also  incentive  schemes.  The  supply  of  alternative  fuels  for  aviation  is 
particularly dependent on the availability of synthetic / 2nd generation / advanced sustainable 
alternative fuels. Synthetic fuels should be fully fungible with conventional fossil fuels, and 
therefore would not require specific new infrastructure. 

For  gaseous  methane  fuels,  efforts  should  be  put  into  developing  harmonised  standards  for 
bio-methane or Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) injection in the existing Compressed Natural Gas 
(CNG)  grid,  as  this  would  promote  CBG  as  an  economically  viable  alternative.  These  fuels 
should  preferentially  be  fed  into  the  existing  gas  grid.  Captive  fleets  may  be  fuelled  from 
exclusive CBG facilities such as sewage treatment plants. 

For hydrogen (fuel cell electric vehicles), standard development is well advanced, and there 
are even globally harmonised requirements. The transportation and storage of hydrogen still 
need  further  development.  Building  up  a  European  hydrogen  filling  network  could  start  by 
linking existing pre-commercial infrastructure networks to strategic corridors. 

Liquefied Natural  Gas (LNG) is a technically viable alternative fuel for medium- and long-
distance  road  and  waterborne  transport.  The  EU  should  help  it  move  from  research  and 
demonstration  to  close-to-market  readiness  by  supporting  targeted  infrastructure  pilot 

6 

Directive  2009/28/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  23  April  2009  on  the 
promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. 

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schemes. To exploit LNG's full potential, more investment is needed in additional refuelling 
infrastructure in ports and along the main corridors of the European road and ports networks. 

For electricity, the power grid is available but a recharging infrastructure needs to be built and 
the  grid  needs  to  be  strengthened.  The  research  and  innovation  agenda  should  include 
optimising  the  electrical  architecture  for  electric  vehicles  and  integrating  the  grid  with  the 
charging infrastructure – which should include fast charging, wireless charging and two-way 
charging. 

Well-to-Wheels/Well-to-Wake  (WTW)  and  Life-Cycle  Analysis  (LCA)  need  to  be  further 
developed if they are to be used as a common basis for assessing the carbon footprint and the 
environmental,  economic  and  social  impacts  of  conventional  and  alternative  fuels  in  all 
transport  modes.  Sustainability  criteria  should  be  applied  consistently,  including  indirect 
effects in the EU and elsewhere. 

3.4. 

Field  7:  Efficient  modal  traffic  management  systems  (including  capacity  and 
demand management) 

To fully achieve its strategic objectives in the field of modal traffic information systems, the 
EU  needs  advanced  traffic  management  systems  in  all  modes.  This  means  developing  sub-
roadmaps for each of the modal initiatives (SESAR, ERTMS, RIS, ITS and SafeSeaNet). A 
combination of technological and organisational solutions can help improve the efficiency of 
infrastructure  use,  manage  transport  demand  and  support  decarbonisation.  Most  of  the 
elements needed for deployment and market uptake are already in place, but interoperability 
is still a key issue and further progress is necessary here. 

The following areas should be further developed and effectively deployed in the future: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Open  standard  electronic  platforms  for  on-board  units  for  exchanging  information 
(with ground stations or other vehicles) on location, speed, date, time, network class, 
security and safety-related issues. 

Technologies  allowing  data  to  be  collected  (in  real  time,  as  well  as  short  term 
forecasting)  and  synthesised  into  information  on  the  infrastructure  condition  and 
capabilities, the traffic conditions and instructions to users to reduce congestion. 

Technical standards for sending traffic and travel information and data, and standards 
for  managing  traffic  on  a  network,  including  the  development  of  any  necessary 
communications infrastructure. 

The  full  interoperability  of  these  standards,  allowing  the  free  exchange  of  such 
information,  and  a  single  common  data  registry  for  storing  traffic  information  and 
management data by mode and across the modes. 

The  framework  for  accelerating  the  development  and  deployment  of  Intelligent  Transport 
Systems  (ITS)  in  road  transport  has  been  set  out  Directive  2010/40/EU  adopted  on  7  July 
2010. Under this Directive the European Commission has to adopt within the next seven years 
specifications (i.e. functional, technical, organisational or services provisions) to address the 
compatibility,  interoperability  and  continuity  of  ITS  solutions  across  the  EU.  The  first 
priorities  will  be  traffic  and  travel  information,  the  eCall  emergency  system  and  intelligent 
truck parking. 

The  European  Rail  Traffic  Management  System  (ERTMS)  is  a  cornerstone  of  the 
Commission’s strategy to improve interoperability in the European railway system. Europe is 
currently host to more than 20 different ground systems. Deployment of ERTMS will enable 
trains  to  carry  a  single  European  system  on  board,  thus  reducing  costs  for  infrastructure 
managers.  Equally  suited  to  high-speed  and  conventional  railway  lines,  the  system  will 

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significantly  enhance  network  safety.  ERTMS  Level  3  needs  further  development,  and 
research  should  also  investigate  whether  GSM  for  railways  (GSM-R)  can  be  replaced  or 
complemented by data transmission using the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System 
(UMTS). 

In  maritime  transport  administrative  procedures  are  complex,  time-consuming  and,  even 
today,  are  often  done  on  paper.  Major  European  ports  have  advanced  information  systems, 
which  deliver  considerable  quality  and  efficiency  gains.  However,  the  interoperability 
between  port  information  systems  is  limited.  SafeSeaNet  is  to  develop  into  the  core  system 
for all the information tools needed to support maritime safety and security and to protect the 
marine environment. Furthermore, the e-Maritime initiative aims to foster the use of advanced 
information technologies to promote interoperability in its broader sense. It aims to stimulate 
coherent, 
in  support  of  cooperation, 
interoperability and consistency between Member States and transport operators.  

transparent,  efficient  and  simplified  solutions 

The  inland  navigation  sector  needs  to  create  a  common  architecture  that  offers  sufficient 
consistency and synergy across applications. Over the past few decades a significant number 
of services and systems have been developed for shipping traffic and transport management. 
River  Information  Services  (RIS)  are  information  technology  related  services  designed  to 
optimise the resource management of the waterborne transport chain by enabling information 
exchange between vessels, lock and bridges, terminals and ports. The development of RIS, in 
combination  with  cost-effective  and  environmentally  friendly  logistics  operations,  enhances 
the competitive edge of inland waterway transport in the supply chain. 

In  the  case  of  Air  Traffic  Management  (ATM),  the  strategic  objective  is  to  achieve  a  fully 
functional Single European Sky (SES) promoting seamless air travel. SES legislation aims at 
tripling  capacity,  halving  the  ATM  cost  per  flight,  improving  safety  by  a  factor  of  10  and 
reducing  the  environmental  impact  of  each  flight  by  10 %.  The  Single  European  Sky  ATM 
Research (SESAR) Programme is the technological pillar of the SES. It aims to develop the 
new generation of air traffic management systems, capable of ensuring the safety and fluidity 
of air transport worldwide over the next 30 years7. The timely development and deployment 
of  SES  technologies  and  procedures  will  boost  Europe’s  innovation  capacity  and  its  global 
industrial  competitiveness,  giving  the  EU  a  strong  voice  in  standardisation  bodies.  ATM 
modernisation will give Europe's aeronautical supply industry a world-wide market. 
For  the  years  following  2020,  the  ‘Flight  path  2050’  report8  sets  an  ambitious  goal  for 
European air traffic management. By 2050, Europe's ATM system should be able to provide a 
range of services, round the clock, to handle 25 million flights per year by all types of aircraft 
—  fixed  wing  and  rotorcraft  —  whether  manned,  unmanned  or  autonomous.  In  2020-2030 
safe, efficient and high-performance 4-D trajectory operations will need to be implemented, 

7 

8 

SESAR is composed of three phases: The definition phase (2005-2008), the development phase (2008-
2013) and the deployment phase (2013-2020). The SESAR Programme is now in its development phase 
managed by the SESAR Joint Undertaking (SJU). The deployment phase (2013-2020) covers the large 
scale production and implementation of the new ATM infrastructure. This infrastructure will be based 
on  the  new  technologies  and  procedures  resulting  from  the  development  phase  and  will  contribute  to 
achieving  SES  objectives  that  will  lead  to  high  performance  in  European  air  transport.  The  cost  of 
deployment is  estimated at 30 billion Euros over the period 2008-2025. One of the key results of the 
SESAR definition phase is the European ATM Master plan, which constitutes a commonly developed 
roadmap,  endorsed  by  the  EU  Council  and  recognised  by  all  stakeholders,  to  achieve  deployment  of 
new  generation  of  ATM  technologies  and  procedures  within  the  next  10-15  years.  The  Master  plan 
steers  the  work  programme  for  the  development  phase  and  similarly  will  be  a  key  tool  to  govern  the 
SESAR deployment phase. . 
'Flightpath 2050 Europe’s Vision for Aviation' Report of the High Level Group on Aviation Research, 
2011. http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air/doc/flightpath2050.pdf 

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based on the distribution and use of the best available information. In order to cost-effectively 
provide the number and range of services needed, increased automation will be essential. 

More  elaborate  descriptions  of the corresponding systems for all  modes of transport will  be 
drawn up during the road mapping phase. These descriptions will take into account capacity 
management aspects. The priority is to develop, demonstrate and implement electronic tolling 
(or  fee)  systems  to  be  used  for  road  tolls  or  road/rail  pricing  schemes.  Concession  schemes 
might  be  considered,  as  well  as  pre-financing  through  congestion  charges  in  the  case  of 
extension works. The technologies applied should offer the possibility of ‘smart’ charging i.e. 
varying  the  charges  according  to  the  type  of  user,  the  location,  the  time  of  day  and  traffic 
conditions. Interoperability is crucial for e-toll systems and should allow users to travel across 
Europe with a single electronic tolling device. 

The  focus  in  the  short  and  medium  term  should  be  on  deploying  the  following  (subject  to 
modal specificities): 

• 

• 

• 

Smart  fee  collection  systems  that  charge  for  the  use  of  infrastructure  depending  on 
the level of congestion and external costs. 

Automated  vehicle  identification  technologies  that  use  barcodes,  radio-frequency 
based  identification  (RFID),  plate  recognition,  GNSS  (Global  Navigation  Satellite 
Systems), etc. 

Automated  vehicle  classification  using  video  cameras  or  sensors,  or  storing  the 
vehicle class in the customer record. 

The following issues should also be considered: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

transaction processing (prepaid or post-paid systems); 

violation enforcement (physical barrier, plate recognition, police at toll gates, etc.); 

technical interoperability of on-board equipment; 

procedural interoperability for contractual agreements; 

treatment of non-equipped users; 

protection of personal data. 

One  roadmap  per  mode  (air,  inland  navigation,  maritime,  rail  and  road)  is  planned  to  be 
drawn up during the second phase of the work. 

4. 

R&I  AREA:  TRANSPORT  SERVICES  AND  OPERATIONS  FOR  PASSENGERS  AND 
FREIGHT 

4.1. 

Strategic Objective 

The third research and innovation area emphasises the role of services in bringing together the 
application of technologies into a sustainable, resource-efficient and safe transport system for 
passengers and freight. The uptake of new transport technologies and solutions depends to a 
large degree on whether these can be used for developing services that satisfy user needs. 

Given the expected continuation of urbanisation, as well as the ageing of Europe’s population, 
delivering  mobility  and  transport  services  in  urban  areas  is  of  particular  importance.  The 
White Paper refers to a move towards ‘zero-emission logistics’ and sets the goal of achieving 
essentially  CO2-free  logistics  in  major  urban  centres  by  2030.  The  White  Paper  also 
recommends halving the use of ‘conventionally-fuelled’ cars in urban transport by 2030 and 
phasing  them  out  in  cities  by  2050.  Public  transport's  share  of  the  transport  mix  has  to 

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increase,  its  accessibility  to  all  must  be  improved  and  it  must  be  fully  integrated  with  non-
motorised forms of mobility.  

The  White  Paper  also  emphasises  the  need  to  optimise  the  performance  of  multimodal 
logistics chains in long-distance transport. In particular, it sets the benchmark of ensuring that 
30 % of road freight 300 km are shifted to other modes by 2030, and more than 50 % by 2050. 
If  cargo  owners  and  freight  forwarders  are  to  make  greater  use  of  non-road  modes,  the 
services provided by the alternative modes must meet the customers’ expectations. 

Major research and innovation efforts are required to establish the framework for a European 
system of multimodal transport information, management and  payment  services  by 2020. A 
European  Integrated  Multimodal  Information  and  Management  Plan  should  provide 
continuous and reliable traffic and travel data and information of relevance to all modes and 
networks. It should do so via universal access and data exchange across regions and borders, 
enabled by feasible business models. 

This R&I area covers three fields: 

• 

• 

• 

Integrated cross-modal information and management services 

Seamless logistics 

Integrated and innovative urban mobility and transport 

4.2. 

Field 8: Integrated cross-modal information and management services 

Deployment  of  traffic  information  systems  has  so  far  been  largely  ‘unimodal’  in  scope  and 
extent (see Field 7), leaving wider cross-modal applications for the future. Application of ICT 
in  the  various  transport  modes  has  gone  ahead  in  a  rather  fragmented  way,  each  mode 
developing  its  own  platforms  and  standards.  The  current  lack  of  integrated  cross-modal 
approaches could hamper the further development of interoperable systems and technologies. 
Although  developing  modal  traffic  management  systems  is  crucial  for  each  of  the  modes, 
achieving  the  objectives  of  the  White  Paper  of  an  integrated  European  transport  system, 
information flows must also support cross-modal operations and services for passengers and 
freight. Online information, electronic booking and payment systems integrating all means of 
transport would facilitate multimodal travel. For example, the recent ‘Flight path 2050’report 
has  set  an  objective  for  the  door-to-door  transport  chain  (less  than  4  hours  for  90 %  of 
travellers  by  2050),  which  would  need  ‘perfect’  organisation  and  integration  of  transport 
services, including ICT. 

To achieve an EU-wide integrated and cross-modal system, the key technology objectives are: 

• 

• 

• 

Integrated  management  within  networks  and  between  different  modal  networks 
across borders, with the emphasis on seamless transfers from one mode to another. 
Also seamless interfaces between long-distance and local (e.g. urban) networks, for 
both freight and passenger transport. 

Integrated  and  real-time  information  provision  to  all  users  of  the  transport  system, 
cutting  across  the  modes  and  borders  and  offering  cross-modal  usage  information. 
The  strategic  coordination  between  traffic  and  travel  information  and  network 
management is an important enabler of seamless mobility. 

Smart  navigation  and  routing  systems  and  services  providing  (among  other  things) 
personalised  information,  environmentally-aware  routing  and  a  full  presentation  of 
the  implications  of  the  different  travel  choices.  Also,  systems  providing  optimal 
routing  strategies,  as  opposed  to  today’s  routing  suggestions,  for  routes  with  the 
lowest degree of travel time uncertainty and the highest degree of reliability. 

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• 

Smart  integrated  and  interoperable  electronic  reservation  and  ticketing  systems 
available  through  user-friendly  web  interfaces,  and  covering  all  available  public 
transport modes and their interfaces, including smart-pricing and eco-pricing. 

The main action for the future should include: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Expanding standardisation and achieving interoperability of standards and services. 

Greater coordination between information services and network management tools. 

Intelligent  operational  decision-support  systems  in  the  management  of  transport 
networks. 

More  refined  and  sustainable  business  structures  for  the  provision  of  traffic 
information and management services. 

Implementation  measures  for  the  uptake  of  integrated  electronic  tickets  and  smart 
cards. 

Applications  analysing  real-time  data  on  users’  behaviour,  to  improve  system 
management and planning. 

Development of smart information devices and communication systems that provide 
real- time data on public transport schedules, tailored to each user’s specific needs. 

A  comprehensive  approach  to  security  in  the  design  and  operation  of  transport 
infrastructure and services (in all modes), including non-intrusive detection methods 
and  highly-secured  networks  for  sending  and  processing  the  data  and  information 
needed for traffic management and operations control. 

Innovative approaches to operations to address the environmental and health impact 
of transport, including noise. 

A more robust understanding of what drives user behaviour and behavioural testing 
of information systems to identify what works. 

4.3. 

Field 9: Seamless logistics 

Setting  up  seamless  and  efficient  multimodal  freight  transport  services  will  require  parallel 
action to create  cleaner, safer, smarter and quieter  transport  means  (for  all  modes  of  freight 
transport,  see  fields  1  to  4  above).  It  will  mean  optimising  freight  streams  and  ensuring 
seamless  connections  with  interurban  freight  transport  and  distribution  services,  including 
efficient  terminal  operations  and  consolidation  centres.  It  will  also  mean  collecting  and 
monitoring data to help users and planners make better decisions. 

Research  and  innovation  (R&I)  is  needed  to  support  the  optimisation  of  freight  streams, 
deliveries  and  services,  as  set  out  in  the  new  White  Paper,  the  ITS  Action  Plan9,  the  ITS 
Directive10, and the Logistics Action Plan11. This R&I should focus mainly on the following: 

• 

• 

9 

10 

11 

Fleet  management,  aiming  to  optimise  the  utilisation  and  scheduling  of  a  fleet  of 
freight vehicles (or wagons or vessels) while reducing its negative impacts. 

Delivery management, including restricted access zones, quiet night-time deliveries, 
dedicated infrastructure for loading and off-loading, and parking management. 

Action  plan  for  the  deployment  of  Intelligent  Transport  Systems  in  Europe.  Communication  from  the 
Commission. COM(2008) 886 final. . 
Directive  2010/40/EU  on  the  framework  for  the  deployment  of  Intelligent  Transport  Systems  in  the 
field of road transport and for interfaces with other modes of transport. . 
Freight Transport Logistics Action Plan. Communication from the Commission. COM(2007) 607. . 

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• 

Exploiting  the  opportunities  for  shifting  freight  distribution,  deliveries  and  services 
towards  more  efficient,  low-impact  options,  including  innovative  distribution 
systems. 

These  objectives  should  be  seen  in  combination  with  the  other  fields  outlined  above,  and 
against the background of developing and implementing the next-generation freight transport 
environment  known  as  e-freight.  This  will  see  the  introduction  of  cargo  item  intelligence, 
interaction between the item and the agents throughout the transport chain and the emergence 
of  new  applications  for  the  management  of  transport  operations  from  order  capture  to 
payment and invoice control. 

Tracking  and  Tracing,  together  with  Navigation  services  in  general,  involves  the  use  of 
technologies for identifying the position of a vehicle or load unit in real time and across all 
modes and stages of transport. These technologies also provide instructions as to the optimal 
route to one’s destination, using the concept of ‘connected traveller — connected well’. 

The use of existing GPS positioning systems is fundamental to tracking and tracing. The key 
European technology in this area is the Galileo satellite navigation system which will provide 
a highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning service under civilian control.  

It will be inter-operable with both GPS and GLONASS, the other two existing global satellite 
navigation systems. 

One  strategic  necessity  for  the  future  is  the  universal  coupling  of  navigation  services  with 
real-time  traffic  data  (invariably  enhanced  with  historical  data  sets  and  short-term  traffic 
predictions)  so  as  to  provide  route  guidance  based  on  real-time  traffic  conditions.  Several 
tracking- and tracing-related applications are currently being tested in real-life environments, 
e.g. cooperative systems, intersection management and control, freight fleet management with 
real-time loading and delivery space booking, various routing applications, etc. 

Research  and  innovation  work  on  logistics  services  and  operations  could  address  the 
following topics: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Technologies for the multimodal management of freight transport, including: pre-trip 
planning technologies for goods vehicles; intelligent fleet and transport management 
systems;  navigation  and  in-vehicle  routing  with  real-time  data,  to  optimise  travel 
times and protect environmentally-sensitive areas from freight traffic. 

Intelligent  cargo  applications,  especially  at  the  consolidation  and  distribution 
terminals,  to  enable  multimodal  freight  operations.  These  applications  include 
gathering,  storing,  analysing  and  providing  real-time  cargo  data  to  help  users  and 
planners make better decisions and support the bundling of freight deliveries. 

The  development  of  intelligent  freight  distribution  services;  new  service  concepts 
such  as  home  delivery;  application  programmes  and  technologies  for  optimising 
deliveries  in  urban  areas  (reducing  both  the  time  and  the  environmental  footprint); 
seamless connection with the interurban freight transport systems; environmentally-
friendly city logistics. 

Enforcement  of  restrictions  (e.g.  parking,  loading  /  unloading,  entering  restricted 
zones / streets, etc.). 

Technology objectives for future tracking and tracing research and development relate to: 

• 

Tracking  and  tracing  freight  vehicles  or  individual  cargo  on  line,  and  providing 
detailed information to the relevant stakeholders. 

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• 

• 

Adapting  the  regulatory  and  safety  framework  to  suit  the  development  of  new 
technologies for tracking and tracing. 

Developing interoperability between, and integration of, the monitoring tools used by 
all relevant authorities in all sectors, ensuring full interoperability between tracking 
and tracing systems. 

4.4. 

Field 10: Integrated and innovative urban mobility and transport 

European towns and cities are today facing a considerable challenge. They need to meet the 
demand  for  mobility  and  transport  services  from  their  businesses,  industries  and  citizens 
while at the same time mitigating the negative effects of transport. In many of Europe’s urban 
areas,  the  challenges  are  manifold:  congestion,  urban  sprawl,  air  quality,  noise,  limited 
accessibility,  insufficient  safety  and  security.  To  address  these  challenges  it  is  essential  that 
urban  transport  be  integrated  with  regional,  inter-urban  and  long-distance  transport.  The 
White Paper calls for increasing the share of public transport and this will necessitate major 
improvements in the quality of its services. To ensure that more people use public transport, 
operators will have to provide quality, reliability, safety, security and accessibility (especially 
for  persons  with  reduced  mobility)  at  an  affordable  price.  It  will  also  be  critical  to  ensure 
integration with non-motorised forms of mobility. 

To bring about the necessary transformation of urban transport systems requires new transport 
technologies and innovative policy-based measures. These measures must be integrated into 
local strategies, set out in urban mobility plans that are duly validated and sustainable. 

Greater use of public transport could be boosted by providing a wider range of options. Some 
could  use  existing  concepts  (such  as  trolleybuses)  or  involve  new  ways  of  operating  the 
service  (e.g.  the  Rapid  Transit  Bus;  using  smaller  buses  outside  rush  hours;  ‘transport-on-
demand’ via advance reservation systems; automated operation of metropolitan rail systems). 
Information on the choices available and on how to purchase tickets is being revolutionised 
through  personal  mobile  communication  devices,  but  the  uptake  may  vary  from  one 
demographic group to another. Perceived waiting times can be drastically reduced. If a greater 
percentage of travellers use public transport, this could allow operators to increase the number 
and  frequency  of  their  services  and  to  reinforce  urban-rural  links,  thereby  generating  a 
virtuous circle for public transport. 

When  it  comes  to  integrating  urban  and  long-distance  transport  systems,  it  is  essential  that 
airports and other important nodes be fully integrated with road and rail transport services. A 
seamless approach to security could avoid multiple and redundant checks and thus save time 
and  money.  New  digital  technologies  and  non-intrusive  inspection  methods  also  have  the 
potential  to  save  passengers  time  and  money.  In  parallel,  however,  an  increased  use  of 
information  and  communication  technologies  (ICT)  for  management  and  control  systems 
increases the risk of misusing digital information and therefore requires highly-secured data 
transmission systems. 

The European Commission has been supporting R&D in this field, for example through the 
CIVITAS Initiative since 2002. Future action will target the following: 

• 

Testing integrated packages of new technologies and innovative concepts for urban 
mobility  and  transport  under  real-life  conditions,  in  the  following  categories:  clean 
fuels and vehicles; car-independent lifestyles; public transport of passengers; demand 
management  strategies;  mobility  management;  safety  and  security;  transport 
telematics and urban freight logistics. 

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• 

• 

• 

• 

Informed  policy-making:  developing  frameworks  for  assessing 
processes. 

impacts  and 

System design: developing integrated local strategies for better and sustainable urban 
mobility and transport. 

Greater involvement of civil society (awareness raising; changing mobility patterns 
and social norms; citizen engagement, ‘design for all’ principles and standards). 

Support  for  urban,  regional  and  national  authorities  through  technical  assistance  to 
increase their capacity to deliver change and to elaborate Urban Mobility Plans fully 
aligned with their Integrated Urban Development Plans, as defined in the 2011 White 
Paper on Transport12. 

12 

Roadmap  to  a  Single  European  Transport  Area  —  Towards  a  competitive  and  resource  efficient 
transport system, COM(2011) 144 final . 

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