Back

Smart Cities: Growth and Intelligent Transportation Systems

94-845

Units: 6

Description

Cities all around the world are being built and re-invented as smart cities utilizing information systems and innovative applications of data analytics.  One major smart cities component is transportation.  The Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) industry is expected to grow at a rate of 8.5% per year until 2030 and reached a market size valued at $51.2 Billion in 2023.  This shifting dynamic provides great opportunity for improved transportation safety and efficiency but also poses challenging information systems and public policy challenges. Furthermore, there are new opportunities for professional-school graduates outside of engineering schools for employment in transportation planning and policy.

This course is supported by CMU’s Traffic21 Institute, Safety21 National University Transportation Center.  Classes will feature guest lectures provided by Traffic21/Safety21 faculty and industry and government ITS professionals. 

Learning Outcomes

• Develop an understanding of the underlying dynamics of the smart cities trend and how ITS is integrated.  Smart Cities components in addition to transportation include; energy systems, health and human services, education, water and sewer infrastructure, public safety, etc.  

 

• Develop an understanding of the various components of ITS.  Examples of ITS components included; autonomous and connected vehicle technology in vehicles and between infrastructure and vehicles, real-time sensing of infrastructure, artificial intelligence to analyze data, information dissemination, shared mobility services, etc.

 

• Develop an understanding of the various applications/systems of ITS on the local, state, national and international levels. Examples of ITS applications include: advanced traffic control system, automatic road enforcement (variable speed limits, electric toll collection), intelligent public transportation system, transportation demand management, intelligent parking management system, multi-modal traveler information systems, etc.

 

• Synthesize and analyze ITS policy and understand the technology challenges.  Examples of current technology challenges include inadequacy of GPS positioning distribution of safety certificates.  Policy challenges include; privacy, liability, tax equity, social acceptance of technology, etc. 

 

• Develop hands on experience of ITS concepts by applying them to scenarios such as the City of Pittsburgh’s smart transportation plans.

Prerequisites Description

n/a

Syllabus

• Syllabus (Sean Qian - F24)