186 PART | V The future of ITS applications
The case of smart-toll systems that automate toll collection with unobtrusive
to the driver ways is one such example (Heras et al., 2016). Flexible insurance
plans that are based on usage (Tselentis et al., 2017), real-time remote vehi-
cle diagnostics, and preventive maintenance are more applications that protect
vehicles from accidents and breakdowns and at the same time assist the smooth
operation of the transportation network.
16.2.3 The future of transportation network applications
It is evident that the advent of self-driving cars and unmanned vehicles, in gen-
eral, has disrupted the transportation ecosystem and introduced new solutions
and new problems to solve. The triptych of Advanced Driver Assistance Sys-
tems (ADAS), Roadside Telematics (RT), and In-Vehicle Information Systems
(IVIS) created a new landscape for drivers, network operators, and the whole
automotive and transportation industry. On-demand car services are emerging,
automated-public transit vehicles, and automated terminals are in the next plans
of big cities, remote-controlled vehicles (airplanes, ships, or trucks) seem to be
the first step toward unmanned vehicles.
Smart cities of the future, transportation networks of the new decade already
design their new applications in this evolving landscape and propose futuristic
solutions such as:
• Automated cars that connect airports to nearby car parking stations.
• Smart transit hubs that will serve as centers for autonomous and connected
cars, taxis, and urban transportation.
• Shared-use mobility services such as CoGo bike-sharing system, Car2Go,
etc.
• Smart corridors that will provide the last-mile connection between transit
services and employment centers (Ginther, 2018).
• Mobility on demand for citizens and visitors, with integrated payment op-
tions, real-time information, etc., (Austin, 2018).
Apart from the effect on users, infrastructure, and vehicles all these changes
affect the governance and regulation of the transportation domain. New ideas
have emerged such as the Hyperloop Project (envisioned by Elon Musk and con-
tinued by Richard Branson in 2017), which designed a high-speed train mov-
ing in reduced-pressure tubes at speeds of up to 700 mph. Other ideas include
autonomous helicopters (such as Airbus’ Vahana heli-taxi), magnetic levitation
trains that already reach 600 and aim at speeds of 1000 km/h, smart roads that
will communicate with smart cars and will cover many kilometers. The open
question around the present and future of transportation network applications
is not about technology and the advances that will support the evolution of
the applications, but about the sociotechnical transitions that are necessary for
allowing a successful implementation and a wide user acceptance.