EnableATIS Strategy Assessment

Adler, Jeff; Bottom, Jon; Nelson, Craig; Wunderlich, Karl · 2014 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office

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Summary

This report assesses the strategy for the EnableATIS (Enabling Advanced Traveler Information Systems) program, a component of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Dynamic Mobility Applications (DMA) initiative. The primary objective is to foster transformative traveler information applications that leverage enhanced data sources from connected vehicle research. The assessment was motivated by the need to validate foundational assumptions established in 2011–2012 and to identify high-value, near-term federal actions consistent with EnableATIS goals. Unlike other DMA efforts that focused on prototyping specific applications, EnableATIS aims to facilitate market-driven development through research and coalition building. The methodology involved a strategy session held in November 2013, attended by USDOT stakeholders and technical support teams. The assessment reviewed the EnableATIS Operational Concept, which defines two scenarios: a "Laissez-Faire" approach with minimal federal influence and a "Robust" approach characterized by active public-private leadership and comprehensive data integration. The report also analyzed deployment trends in both public and private sectors and examined lessons from the United Kingdom’s traveler information systems. Additionally, it evaluated two exploratory research initiatives funded in late 2012: MIT’s CloudCar project, which uses low-cost cellular devices to capture vehicle data and infer travel modes, and the University of Minnesota’s SmarTrac project, which employs machine learning to infer traveler mode, destination, and trip purpose from smartphone data. The findings indicate that while the fundamental assumptions of the 2012 Operational Concept remain valid, the landscape is shifting. Public sector agencies are reassessing their roles due to resource constraints and the proliferation of private sector services, increasingly relying on the private sector for data collection and dissemination. Conversely, the private sector is heavily investing in end-user applications but lacks incentive to support system management elements. The report concludes that the current "Laissez-Faire" environment is insufficient to achieve transformative goals. Instead, a "Robust" environment is required, balancing system and user optimal conditions. To achieve this, the federal government must adopt a stronger leadership role by expanding public-private partnerships, providing incentives for innovative research, and acting as a steward for data standards. This approach aims to evolve the market toward a dynamic mobility environment that improves transportation system mobility, safety, and efficiency.

Key finding

The federal role in traveler information systems is shifting from direct application development to facilitating market-driven innovation and public-private partnerships to achieve a robust operational environment.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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