An interview with Prof. Jerzy Mikulski, PhD, DSc, Professor at the Silesian University of Technology, conducted by editor Iwo Nowak.
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Iwo Nowak:<\/strong> What can we associate the term “telematics” with?<\/em>
Prof. Jerzy Mikulski:<\/strong> The term “telematics” comes from the French language (télématique<\/em>) and was introduced into literature in 1978. Since 1980, this term has also been used in English vocabulary. Telematics is therefore a combination of the words “telecommunications” and “informatics,” and as a science, telematics integrates research in the fields of telecommunications, automation, and computer science. Currently, the concept of “telematics” is defined as telecommunication, information, and IT solutions, as well as automatic control solutions, adapted to the needs of the physical systems being served and integrated with those systems. In recent years, the term “telematics” has been encountered in various areas of the economy, usually appearing there with adjectives characterizing the field of application: financial telematics, construction telematics, medical telematics, transport telematics, etc. In our case, we are talking about transport telematics. Thus, transport telematics will concern the movement of people and cargo (transport objects) using appropriate means of transport. Combined with logistics and forwarding, transport is part of the TSL industry (Transport – Forwarding – Logistics), where logistics concerns the planning, implementation, and control of the efficient flow of goods and people. Logistics activities include, among others, customer service, information flow, supply processes, transport, and storage. Forwarding, on the other hand, is an activity consisting of organizing transport. In all these fields, we are dealing with modern telematic systems in their development. Transport telematics makes it possible to influence the course of mobility processes (the movement of people and goods, i.e., transport objects) in order to increase transport efficiency, improve safety, reduce negative environmental impact, and improve transport planning. In terms of application, it can be said that telematics connects travelers, means of transport, and transport infrastructure. Transport telematics is a broad spectrum of solutions, in which the largest share is held by applications of Intelligent Transport Systems (globally, the name Intelligent Transport Systems is even used instead of transport telematics). It is assumed that intelligent transport consists of three cooperating systems: an intelligent road, an intelligent vehicle (i.e., a vehicle equipped with devices maintaining continuous, especially wireless, information exchange with devices installed along transport routes), and an intelligent management center. Transport telematics systems use various devices and applications: cellular networks and the Internet, radio communication systems, geographic databases, road databases, satellite navigation systems, traffic monitoring devices (i.e., all sensors, detectors, cameras, radars, weather monitoring devices, devices for transmitting data to transport system users, variable message signs, etc.).
I. N.:<\/strong> What practical possibilities for the application of telematics in transport have been used in the EU and Poland, and what are the development prospects in the coming years?<\/em>
Prof. J. M.:<\/strong> In Europe – mainly Western Europe – the term “transport telematics” began to be used in the early 1990s. That was when new Framework Programmes were opened, and telematics topics found their place there. These were programs concerning the implementation of effective mechanisms for information exchange and modern communication techniques in European society. In 1991, the international organization ERTICO (European Road Transport Telematics Implementation Coordination Organization) was established in Brussels, creating a European platform in the field of intelligent transport systems. In Poland, the year 1998 can be considered the beginning of activities aimed at introducing telematics, when the report Requirements for Framework for Environment and Transport Telematics Country Report: POLAND<\/em> appeared, which contains a general characterization of the needs and possibilities for implementing transport telematics solutions in Poland. The next document from 2001 is ePolska – Action Plan for the Development of the Information Society in Poland for 2001–2006<\/em>, which does not directly refer to telematics, but to intelligent transport support systems, and where the need to accelerate the development of the information society in Poland, in which telematic systems play an important role, was generally emphasized. The first major European program was called DRIVE (Dedicated Road Infrastructure for a Vehicle Safety in Europe) and concerned dedicated road infrastructure for road safety. In addition to traffic information and urban traffic and public transport management, this program included demand management, fleet management, and cargo management. The next program was CENTRICO (Central European Region Transport Telematics Implementation Project), which dealt with the coordinated introduction of traffic management systems and the provision of information services to users in areas with a dense road network and significant congestion. A project implemented with the participation of Poland is CONNECT (Coordination and Stimulation of Innovative ITS Activities In Central and Eastern European Countries). Within its framework, requirements for an effective cross-border traffic management system are to be prepared, including the construction of a dangerous goods transport control system.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 2/2010.<\/div>
L2010-2s36.pdf<\/a>
<\/strong>
Iwo Nowak:<\/strong> What can we associate the term “telematics” with?<\/em>
Prof. Jerzy Mikulski:<\/strong> The term “telematics” comes from the French language (télématique<\/em>) and was introduced into literature in 1978. Since 1980, this term has also been used in English vocabulary. Telematics is therefore a combination of the words “telecommunications” and “informatics,” and as a science, telematics integrates research in the fields of telecommunications, automation, and computer science. Currently, the concept of “telematics” is defined as telecommunication, information, and IT solutions, as well as automatic control solutions, adapted to the needs of the physical systems being served and integrated with those systems. In recent years, the term “telematics” has been encountered in various areas of the economy, usually appearing there with adjectives characterizing the field of application: financial telematics, construction telematics, medical telematics, transport telematics, etc. In our case, we are talking about transport telematics. Thus, transport telematics will concern the movement of people and cargo (transport objects) using appropriate means of transport. Combined with logistics and forwarding, transport is part of the TSL industry (Transport – Forwarding – Logistics), where logistics concerns the planning, implementation, and control of the efficient flow of goods and people. Logistics activities include, among others, customer service, information flow, supply processes, transport, and storage. Forwarding, on the other hand, is an activity consisting of organizing transport. In all these fields, we are dealing with modern telematic systems in their development. Transport telematics makes it possible to influence the course of mobility processes (the movement of people and goods, i.e., transport objects) in order to increase transport efficiency, improve safety, reduce negative environmental impact, and improve transport planning. In terms of application, it can be said that telematics connects travelers, means of transport, and transport infrastructure. Transport telematics is a broad spectrum of solutions, in which the largest share is held by applications of Intelligent Transport Systems (globally, the name Intelligent Transport Systems is even used instead of transport telematics). It is assumed that intelligent transport consists of three cooperating systems: an intelligent road, an intelligent vehicle (i.e., a vehicle equipped with devices maintaining continuous, especially wireless, information exchange with devices installed along transport routes), and an intelligent management center. Transport telematics systems use various devices and applications: cellular networks and the Internet, radio communication systems, geographic databases, road databases, satellite navigation systems, traffic monitoring devices (i.e., all sensors, detectors, cameras, radars, weather monitoring devices, devices for transmitting data to transport system users, variable message signs, etc.).
I. N.:<\/strong> What practical possibilities for the application of telematics in transport have been used in the EU and Poland, and what are the development prospects in the coming years?<\/em>
Prof. J. M.:<\/strong> In Europe – mainly Western Europe – the term “transport telematics” began to be used in the early 1990s. That was when new Framework Programmes were opened, and telematics topics found their place there. These were programs concerning the implementation of effective mechanisms for information exchange and modern communication techniques in European society. In 1991, the international organization ERTICO (European Road Transport Telematics Implementation Coordination Organization) was established in Brussels, creating a European platform in the field of intelligent transport systems. In Poland, the year 1998 can be considered the beginning of activities aimed at introducing telematics, when the report Requirements for Framework for Environment and Transport Telematics Country Report: POLAND<\/em> appeared, which contains a general characterization of the needs and possibilities for implementing transport telematics solutions in Poland. The next document from 2001 is ePolska – Action Plan for the Development of the Information Society in Poland for 2001–2006<\/em>, which does not directly refer to telematics, but to intelligent transport support systems, and where the need to accelerate the development of the information society in Poland, in which telematic systems play an important role, was generally emphasized. The first major European program was called DRIVE (Dedicated Road Infrastructure for a Vehicle Safety in Europe) and concerned dedicated road infrastructure for road safety. In addition to traffic information and urban traffic and public transport management, this program included demand management, fleet management, and cargo management. The next program was CENTRICO (Central European Region Transport Telematics Implementation Project), which dealt with the coordinated introduction of traffic management systems and the provision of information services to users in areas with a dense road network and significant congestion. A project implemented with the participation of Poland is CONNECT (Coordination and Stimulation of Innovative ITS Activities In Central and Eastern European Countries). Within its framework, requirements for an effective cross-border traffic management system are to be prepared, including the construction of a dangerous goods transport control system.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 2/2010.<\/div>
L2010-2s36.pdf<\/a>