Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) is key mechanism available improve Australia’s land transport issues. C-ITS deployment in Australia and the ability to deliver Day 1 and 1.5 use cases was explored through a rapid Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) delivered by WSP as recently published in support of the Office of Future Transport’s development of Draft Principles for National Approach to Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems . The rapid CBA considered five scenarios for national deployment of C-ITS and assessed these against a ‘do nothing’ scenario. The five scenarios aimed to realise a different mix of use cases and priority outcomes. It is important to note that while five options were investigated in the CBA, these are not the only available deployment options. Other deployments targeted at specific user needs or markets could also be considered and are worthy of discussion with industry. 

This appraisal considered two forms of C-ITS technology: cellular communications only, or a combination of cellular communications and short-range communications (hybrid). To enable C-ITS, costs considered in the different scenarios included those associated with security, roadside infrastructure, national data exchange, central systems, and vehicle equipment. The benefits assessment focused primarily on the areas of safety and efficiency, assuming that these would lead to sustainability and comfort benefits (not quantified in this analysis) and would therefore lead to a more attractive view of end benefits. 

The rapid CBA found that positive benefit-cost ratios (BCRs) between 1.4 and 2.9 exist when supporting infrastructure to enable and encourage C-ITS uptake is available. Through this analysis, we identified a ‘no regrets’ scenario that could be used as a step towards encouraging a larger-scale C-ITS deployment and uptake, which is expected to provide a high return in societal benefits. WSP are keen to expand on the ideas presented in these reports by consideration of who pays and roles the whole industry has to play to get the outcomes we are seeking.