Strengthening international road transport research cooperation

The SIMBA II project aims to increase RTD cooperation between the EU and the ICPC of Brazil, China, India, Russia and South Africa.

SIMBA II will look at how the EU and ICPC can jointly increase road safety, mobility and transport efficiency, improve road and transport network management and research appropriate pavement design while at the same time improving levels of transport-related pollution. This will enable SIMBA II to support emerging markets in their efforts to improve transportation while at the same time enhancing European industrial competitiveness via transfer of technologies. Special attention will be paid to mobility and road management, urban traffic issues and public transport in order to better assess and evaluate the development of new infrastructure and of policy-led ITS solutions through sustainable urban transport planning. ICPC could benefi t in this respect from the latest experiences in the EU and move forward integrated transport network management, focusing on policy solutions to tackle congestion and environmental challenges.

During a 22-month period, the SIMBA II project will set up and run a series of expert groups to further work on the priorities defi ned in the first SIMBA project. It will bring together European and local ICPC organisations to engage in preparatory technical work and/or feasibility studies for the development and/or implementation of new ITS (urban) and infrastructure technologies in the ICPC (looking at adapting European technologies to local needs in an eff ort to improve local transport conditions).

Objectives
• Increase road safety
• Improve mobility
• Enhance transport effi ciency

SIMBA II will organise a number of expert working group meetings and a virtual forum in order to support and further these objectives.

Duration and Funding
May 2008 - February 2010, funding through the EC Directorate General Research

Consortium

Coordinator: ERTICO – ITS Europe

Partners: Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL),Promotion of Operational Links with Integrated Services (POLIS),Tongji University (TJU), Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Associacao Brasileira de Engenharia Automotiva (AEA), Infrastructure System Operations and ITS Laboratory (CSIR), Professional Association in Vehicle Risk Prevention (PAIRP), National Center of ITS Engineering and Technology (ITSC).