International standardization for transport systems and their security

Transport systems are undergoing more and more innovative adaptations and the introduction of new technologies. Artificial intelligence is gaining popularity and significantly increasing the profit from its use. Automation of previously invented processes can be a significant leap forward for any company. Nevertheless, it must be understood that changing any existing system implies the presence of an appropriate list of regulatory legal acts and documents. Since the issue of technology is still more associated with the global level, the regulation of these processes, including in the field of transport systems, is carried out by international standards, with the main of which we will introduce you today.

Cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) - Guidelines on the usage of standards - Part 2: Hybrid communications (ISO/TR 21186-2:2021)

CEN ISO/TR 21186-2:2021

Before implementing international standards created for transport systems, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the following terminology. One of the guidelines for international standards for the transport systems industry is CEN ISO / TR 21186-2: 2021.

This CEN ISO/TR 21186-2 is split of CEN ISO/TR 21186 following the same split at ISO. This document (CEN ISO/TR 21186-2:2021) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 204 "Intelligent transport systems" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 278 “Intelligent transport systems” the secretariat of which is held by NEN.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

It is necessary to understand that part of this standard is not in itself an independent document and was created only to simplify the perception of terminology and descriptive processes in the regulatory legal acts created to regulate the transport system industry.

Cooperative intelligent transport systems - Communication profiles

CEN/TS 17496:2021

Transport technologies have long been perceived not as a separate industry, but as a large complex that combines several subcategories. In connection with the introduction of innovative technologies in vehicles, a group of international standards has emerged that regulates communication technologies for transportation systems. One such standard is CEN / TS 17496: 2021.

This document specifies a methodology to define ITS-S communication profiles (ITS-SCPs) based on standardized communication protocols to interconnect trusted devices. These profiles enable secure information exchange between such trusted devices, including secure low-latency information exchange, in different configurations. The present document, in order to exemplify the methodology, also normatively specifies some ITS-SCPs based on the methodology, yet without the intent of covering all possible cases. Further ITS-SCPs can be specified at a later stage. Configurations of trusted devices for which this document defines ITS-SCP’s include:

a)   ITS station communication units (ITS-SCU) of the same ITS station unit (ITS-SU), i.e. station-internal communications;

b)   an ITS-SU and an external entity such as a sensor and control network (SCN), or a service in the Internet;

c)   ITS-SUs.

The specifications given in this document can be equally applied to secured and unsecured communications, being groupcast and unicast communications, being localized or networked communications.

It should be noted that this international standard is not narrow-profile, and therefore can be applied to any category of enterprises and activities in contact with transport systems. If you are interested in information security issues, we recommend that you pay attention to international documents of this particular profile and not to a subcategory within the transport systems industry.

Cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) - Guidelines on the usage of standards - Part 3: Security (ISO/TR 21186-3:2021)

CEN ISO/TR 21186-3:2021

Sometimes each international standard needs a document explaining the specifics and features of the technologies described in it. In this case, add-ons are created that can be applied to all standards of a certain area (so-called dictionaries). But in some cases, parts of one whole document are created, which are a kind of annotations or explanations.

This CEN ISO/TR 21186-3 is split of CEN ISO/TR 21186 following the same split at ISO.

If you apply the aforementioned standard in your activities, we recommend that you have this part available to be sure of the correct methodology for its application.

Intelligent transport systems - Traffic and travel information messages via traffic message coding - Part 3: Location referencing for Radio Data System - Traffic Message Channel (RDS-TMC) using ALERT-C (ISO 14819-3:2021)

EN ISO 14819-3:2021

Encoding information is one of the methods of compressing it, as well as protecting data. As already mentioned, innovative technologies have not bypassed transport systems, which is why a document such as EN ISO 14819-3: 2021 was created to regulate this issue.

This document specifies location referencing rules to address the specific requirements of Traffic Message Channel (TMC) systems, which use abbreviated coding formats to provide traffic and travel information (TTI) messages over mobile bearers (e.g. GMS, DAB) or via exchange protocols like DATEX II. In particular, the rules address the Radio Data System-Traffic Message Channel (RDS-TMC), a means of providing digitally-coded TTI to travellers using a silent data channel on FM radio stations, based on the ALERT-C protocol.

Since the issues regulated by this international standard are relevant in almost all areas where transport systems are used, we strongly recommend having it available for confidence in the quality of the services provided, as well as expanding opportunities for interaction and development.

Transport systems as a complex of subcategories

The introduction of innovative technologies into transport systems has led to an increase in the diversification of the established international standards. If earlier this area meant only the regulation of technological parameters, today the perception of this industry includes such subcategories as communication technologies, information security, IT and similar technology industries. Thus, the regulation of transport systems is carried out at several levels, explaining both the detailed characteristics of individual parts and materials, and step-by-step recommendations for the implementation of innovations.