intelligent highways under the banner of Co-operative Transport Systems (CTS) where intelligence is distributed and shared between the road infrastructure and vehicles. Through sensor fusion of radar and video information and data from novel sensing technologies, the development of innovative approaches to transport safety and efficiency will be possible. Novel sensing technologies being considered include smart inductive loops not only to detect the presence of a vehicle but also to identify or classify the vehicle type. Smart dust (miniaturized sensors) using mobile ad-hoc networks for road and vehicle data collection and monitoring is also being investigated.

Looking Ahead
Real-time embedded sensor fusion applications are now feasible through advances in sensing, electronic storage, processing capacity, architectures and communication. Fusion of more than one sensor can enhance measurement accuracy and ranges as well as facilitate extracting and tracking different information. Sensor fusion is an enabler for the development of increasingly sophisticated systems that help realize the safety and more efficient driving goals of IVHS.

However, the market adoption of IVHS is slow and demand needs to be stimulated by publicizing the potential benefits of such systems. This could be achieved by educating the public through large-scale demonstrations such as the Dutch Roads to The Future program9 and driving simulators such as the system demonstrated by TRW at the 2005 IAA Show in Frankfurt10. The relatively high cost of intelligent systems and legal and governmental barriers are also restricting the introduction of IVHS. Nevertheless, new initiatives are being introduced to bolster the slow demand. Following up the eSafety recommendations, the European Commission has recently launched its i2010 Intelligent Car Initiative11 that aims to encourage the use of new technologies that will make cars safer, cleaner and more efficient the goals of IVHS.