COMETA outputs - Standardisation process to be now considered

Conclusions and future plans

According to its particular scope, this project did not intend to run any exploitation of products or services, but to offer to any of them, that could be used as component of an intelligent truck within an intelligent transport environment, a reference systems architecture, allowing for integration and interoperability.

Beyond the dissemination of handbooks for systems architecture designers, fleet managers, truck manufacturers and solutions providers, it means, in fact, the provision of inputs and support to on going or to be started standardisation developments, from user needs identified by COMETA. It means a systems architecture linked to KAREN project (which provides a global European framework) and standardisation requirements mapped with identified functions and physical and communication levels. Two standardisation areas have been more specifically considered, they concern external and internal communication for mobile data exchanges and vehicle data links for on-board systems.

COMETA outputs 

COMETA Deliverable 6.2 presented its detailed results on possible Harmonisation and standardisation addressing On Board Commercial Vehicle System(s) Integrated Architecture specifications and taking into account a European Architecture Framework provided by KAREN (Keystone Architecture Required for European Networks) Project.

This deliverable contains also drafts of related recommendations, the whole being presented and discussed in a standardisation workshop in Paris on the 13th of April 2000, which can be seen as the first step of exploitation in that direction.

The results of this workshop confirmed that the design of an "on-board" System(s) Architecture, was to be seen as only a first step in the process of facilitating the integration of the commercial vehicle and his driver, within a global transport information system relying on ITS - "Intelligent Transport Systems" - developments and implementations.

COMETA has gathered strong justifications for standardisation enhancements on one side, will provide interested standardisation body with working tools on the other side, but the field for an unified standardisation process is just opened as some possible solutions can be seen as complementary, alternatives or competing.

COMETA results can be seen here as a support for the continuation of the following investigations.

• Mobile EDI messages in general. The need for standardised messages becomes stringent. Tasks and Tasks reports, status reporting, Transport Orders, are necessary conditions for the design of a solution based on this Systems Architecture.
• New structured information into Mobile EDI messages, so as to reduce the importance of non-processable information flows. Beyond the above statement, automated dialogues between home based applications and on board ones, requires the creation of "ad hoc" messages, standing for present free text zones in existing messages and / or messages which could be seen as "miscellaneous information" for the time being.
• Integration of information coming from other sub-systems and modules than Driver Tasks Management Sub-system and going to it, such as tachograph information, driver status, vehicle and equipment condition and operation, cargo information, etc. This can be seen as precise cases or alternatives to above-mentioned issues.
• On the other side, that is to say mostly the home base, more transparency between mobile data communications networks and fleet management applications is required. This can be seen as a complement to data structure and contents standardisation, through messages handling procedures standardisation and a way to solve, on the ground side through application protocol interfacing, the problems raised by the multiplicity of on board systems and communication solutions. This is commonly seen as "Office Interfacing".
• More interoperability and integration between sub-systems, control modules. It is clear that any progress in that direction will make the whole "System" more users friendly and, most, cost efficient and cheaper. It is clear, too, that it will make it safer to operate.
• Ease of plugging / unplugging of various sub-systems and control modules and physical components in the global system architecture, whatever the market origin… This issue could be considered as a redundant one to the above mentioned. But it needs to be considered as such during a "transitory" period that could still last many years…
• More harmonisation, if not standards, between support devices, for HMI aspects. If it seems difficult to imagine standardised HMI, whatever the truck manufacturer or solution provider, according to the fact that fleet will remain often heterogeneous and that the "couple Driver / Vehicle" will be more and more dissociated in the future, efforts should be made towards HMI harmonisation.

Standardisation process to be now considered 

Standardisation bodies for the examination of these possible proposals are CEN TC 278, the European Technical Committee for standardisation in Road Traffic and Transport Telematics (and more specifically its Working Group 2 on Freight and Fleet Management) and ISO TC 22 for Road Vehicles. These examinations should be made through liaison with EDI / EDIFACT standardisation bodies. Additionally, CEN TC 224 and 225 addressing smart cards applications and bar coding will be informed with ISO corresponding bodies.

In fact, COMETA investigations and outputs were deliberately closely related to CEN TC 278 WG2 scope, justifications and identified Work Items. At the beginning of year 2000 (this WG has been "dormant" for more than two years) remaining work items were the following (with first comments on COMETA potential inputs):

• WI 2.1.1 (CEN/CS 00278094) Freight and Fleet management systems reference architecture and terminology. Part 1: High-level architecture and terms.

According to the fact that now KAREN should be used as a reference, it means that the document produced within this WI is now obsolete and should be withdrawn and replaced by one based on the common KAREN/COMETA output which has identified and have now finalised the development of a SA through three High Level Functions (Manage Freight, Manage Fleet, Manage Vehicle/Driver/Cargo/Equipment).

• WI 2.2.1 Freight and Fleet management systems reference architecture and terminology. Part 2: extended object oriented architecture.

Needs to be reconsidered according to what is explained above.

• WI 2.2.4 Freight and Fleet management systems: Mobile electronic data interchange.

Can restart with a set of 4/5 new messages proposal (Transport Order, Tasks Order, Tasks Report, etc.) to be worked out in parallel within UN CEFACT and the consideration of a "Fleet Application Protocol" (FAP) representing the "ground side" of data exchanges integration.

• 2.3.2 Freight and Fleet management systems: Interfaces for on board data processing and vehicle data links.

This WI was passed to ISO/TC 22/SC3 but CEN got no answer and could decide to consider again this matter from requirements identified within COMETA.

It means that FAP, MOBILE EDI, MDTP, DIS, BUS matters consideration justifies WG2 reactivating in the coming months.

With the support of DG TREN a workshop on "information technologies applied to interoperable freight transport" will take place in Brussels in September 2 000.

This workshop will consider first KAREN and COMETA results and decide, beyond its reactivation, upon any extension of CEN TC 278 scope and selection of possible new WI.

It will consider a closer liaison with ISO TC 22.

CEN TC 278, the European Technical Committee for standardisation in Road Traffic and Transport Telematics (and more specifically its Working Group 2 on Freight and Fleet Management) and ISO TC 22 for Road Vehicles are the appropriate Standardisation bodies for the examination of the proposals to be submitted as COMETA results. These examinations should be made through liaison with EDI / EDIFACT standardisation bodies. Additionally, CEN TC 224 and 225 addressing smart cards applications and bar coding will be informed with ISO corresponding bodies.