Integration of intelligent transport systems by a relational database platform

The main purpose of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) is to improve traffic safety and maximise efficiency of the existing transport systems. The ITS is an element from which a high level reliability and durability are expected. Besides design aspects another issue to be dealt with is selection of the method to be used for integration of the ITS components and equipment. Integration through translation of constantly evolving communications protocols may affect reliability in data exchange between the traffic management centre (TMC) and the connected roadside units (RSU). The dynamic development of systems and changes in ITS technologies, including, in particular, the roadside units technologies may, in the long run, result in no backward compatibility and the need to modernise the existing equipment, even though it may be otherwise fully operational. The paper presents a proposed integration of roadside units with the TMC by means of an integration database as an alternative to integration based on translation of communications protocols which is worth considering owing to its significant practical advantages.