| ESG4 VMS Harmonisation - Mare Nostrum |
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Leader: Alberto Arbaiza
Tests The ESG4-Mare Nostrum periodically performs different types of tests with users to determine VMS sign comprehension. An updated status on the tests is available here.
The rapid growth of VMS density and coverage on the TERN, the slow answer on the part of international regulatory bodies (e.g., UNECE WP.1), has led to the use of VMS in local ‘language’ and non-standard signalling. Although this has been a first step towards real-time seamless information and has proven to be most effective, especially in critical points of the motorway network, the second step is to avoid a situation where the European traveller may not be able to understand information directly concerning his/her safety, re-routing and all the other potential improvements to the journey while driving because of language problems. A real, complete, harmonisation of VMS will improve safety and increase the efficiency of the road network, in particular for long distance transport. This is the main objective of the ESG4 which has already been active in the past years. The Mare Nostrum work envisages the identification and development of specific informative elements (pictogram, alphanumeric codes) and message structures which are totally independent from local languages. ESG-4 has already established important milestones through the delivery of important documents (notably the so-called Working Book and the ESG-4 Guidelines, dealing specifically with up to 47 road/traffic situations) which do not fail to acknowledge already existing VMS types and specific road situations. Progress has been possible also through the implementation of quasi-objective harmonisation procedures (e.g. empirical tests) with the main stakeholders involved. In this area, the ESG4-Mare Nostrum builds further on the results of the FIVE project and on its own recent activity.
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