History and results of the EITSFAWithin the transport and telematics subprogramme of the Fourth Framework Programme of the European Union, KAREN (Keystone Architecture Required for European Networks), a comprehensive research and development programme has been launched to offer a long-term framework structure for the tools applied in the intelligent transport systems (ITS) of the European Union.
Relying on the outcomes of KAREN, FRAME project has been started to fine-tune the initial version of this framework architecture, support the development of the national framework architectures, as well as finalize EITSFA (European ITS Framework Architecture), the European reference framework architecture.
EITSFA is therefore such a framework for the description of integrated ITS systems that reaches back to the user demands of the participating organizations, units. It determines the subsystems that are suitable and required for the satisfaction of these demands alongside with the underlying logical relations, functions and processes. It also defines the minimum requirements posed against these systems in order to ensure the proper cooperation of the independent systems and services. The description of the entire system serves the demarcation of the individual components, subsystems, while compatibility with the other elements of the system is also provided.
The first, pilot version of EITSFA was elaborated by the FRAME development team set up for this purpose with the involvement of several companies and countries, back in October 2000, Version 1.1 was published on the Internet in March 2002, then in August 2004 Version 2.0 appeared, while November 2004 witnessed the integration of the most current updates received from the international participants to the database of the framework architecture. At the end of 2006, the most novel version (3.0) was published at the website www.frame-online.net to serve as the basis of the preparation of the HITS utility software.
In several European countries, the European version has been localized, reviewed and processed as based on the first version, and then a parallel development course has been followed. In France and the Nordic countries of Europe, the requirements of the framework architecture have been integrated in the project during the current developments of road telematics. In Hungary, experts have opted for the use of the EITSFA results to design the traffic control center of the public transport of Budapest, develop motorway ITS and prepare a series of studies, analysis in similar fields.
In 2008, a series of presentations has been launched in Hungary for the dissemination of the results of HITS. Professionals, authorities, operators involved in activities in association with public roads, public transport have warmly welcomed the domestic version of the European development, and it seems that by 2010-2012 a recommendation or standard will have been elaborated on the basis of HITS, with the support of the Ministry of Economy and Transport, within the framework of the CONNECT, and then EASYWAY programmes.
Last update:2009