Leonardo has officially joined the ITxPT (Information Technology for Public Transport) Association as a “principal member”.
ITxTP is a non-profit international consortium in which the major players in public transport find technological solutions based on shared and constantly updated specifications, to optimise mobility and improve services for the public. This objective is shared by Leonardo which, with MATRICS (MAss TRansIt Complete Solution) - the complete ecosystem of solutions for the transport world, from digital transformation to the safety of vehicles and infrastructures and the improvement of services for the public – is a leader in the revolution in intelligent, sustainable and secure mobility.
Created on the initiative of the EU as a European standardisation project, ITxPT brings together over 160 members including public transport operators, mobility agencies, motor vehicle manufactures and technology suppliers.
ITxTP and the new public transport standards
The specifications drawn up by ITxPT are public and freely accessible. They provide operators and transport authorities with recommendations and requirements to help them adopt interoperable IT architectures, and they give suppliers a framework of reference to develop individual solutions.
There are three main areas in which interoperability standards are defined: hardware, communication protocols and services.
Labels of compliance for the benefit of public expenditure and innovation
The standards defined by the Association are likely to become the model for European regulations and are already a fundamental requirement for participating in competitive tenders for public transport in the United Kingdom and Ireland. By means of a specific label, for example, ITxPT certifies that a device or means of transport complies with the standard and can therefore be used in ‘plug&play’ mode, i.e. without onerous installation work. This avoids the need for supplementary operations - very expensive for the public purse - to make a new system compatible with those already in use, and creates a technological ecosystem that is easier to update and more flexible for future upgrades. At the same time, being able to work within a defined framework encourages continuous innovation in the sector.
e-Nobu, the intelligent on-board platform
Leonardo, now one of the principal members of the Consortium, is already following ITxPT guidance and has implemented this in some solutions designed for public transport. One of the most recent examples is the new e-Nobu intelligent on-board platform, which ensures security, connectivity and reliability for buses, metros and trains. Leonardo’s entry into the Association confirms and further strengthens its commitment to the constant search for innovative technological solutions for intelligent, interconnected, multimodal and secure mobility.