Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is the application of sensing, analysis, control and communication technologies to ground transportation to improve safety, mobility and efficiency. ITS includes a wide range of applications that process and share information to reduce congestion, improve traffic management, minimize environmental impact, and increase transportation benefits for commercial users and the general public.
ITS data have homeland security applications. They allow a means of transportation to be associated with an object of interest (package or human).
Transportation and Homeland Security
When considering security threats, the transportation system is a vital component. The transportation system can:- provide the weapon for a terrorist attack (plane, truck, barge)
- become the weapon in an attack (plane, truck, car)
- indicate the target (plane, subway, bus, transit station, key transportation infrastructure)
- become the means of delivering a weapon to a target
- Ability to evacuate people
- Ability to bring in needed resources (personnel, food, water, medicine, supplies, etc.)
Electronic vehicle identification and control
The following methods will be used:- Number plate based identification (OCR to read the license plate)
- Transponder-based identification/screening