Automotive research and development, high speed rail and real time travel projects have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to intelligent transport systems in the 2016 ITS World Congress Hall of Fame Awards from Asia Pacific region.

 

Hall of Fame winners make a significant contribution to the ITS industry and are at the forefront of innovative technology solutions to global transport and mobility challenges.

 

The Awards recognise individuals, industries and local governments striving to set the bar higher and enhance the end user experience. Local solutions often have wider applications, ensuring international transport, safety and technology improvements, enhancing liveability in cities and communities.

 

The ITS Asia Pacific winners will be inducted into the 2016 ITS World Congress Hall of Fame, along with winners from ITS America and ERTICO - ITS Europe at the 23rd ITS World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, 10-14 October, Melbourne, Australia.

 

The 2016 ITS Asia Pacific, Hall of Fame winners are:

 

Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr Hiroyuki Watanabe, Former Chairman ITS Japan

 

With a strong background in automobile research and development, Dr Watanabe exercised leadership in product design projects with innovative technologies at Toyota Motor Corporation for more than 40 years, such as electronic stability control, hybrid powertrain and fuel cell batteries. Dr Watanabe played crucial roles as a thought-leader at the frontier of technological and social innovations with both precisely structured logic and ambition. Dr Watanabe presented the concept of integrated approaches of policy, infrastructure, advanced vehicles, participation of general public and ITS technologies as an enabler. He led a number of projects for automated vehicles, low carbon transportation and big data analyses. Dr Watanabe also reached out to the global ITS community to share ideas and experiences to create an inclusive society.

 

Industry Award
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC), Chinese-Taipei

 

Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) is the licensed entity with exclusive concession to own and run HSR Taiwan, which has been regarded as the largest build-operate-transfer (BOT) project of public transportation infrastructure over the world until now. THSRC has successfully self-developed innovation and created the Smart Railway Services system with its smart applications into high speed railway operations management, emergency management and passenger services. The Taiwan-style ITS Smart Railway Services System has generated continual improvement in operational efficiency and management, whilst improving passenger services particularly in ticketing systems, and providing innovative real time operational information.

 

Local Government Award
Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Australia

 

The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads vision is to create a single integrated transport network accessible to everyone. In a Queensland first, the Department has deployed a Real-Time Travel Information system that provides accurate service information for public transport stops and stations across the TransLink South East Queensland network. The system uses on-vehicle 3G/GPS technology to track vehicles and combines timetable data with prediction logic to determine service departure times. This multi-modal service (bus, train and ferry) covers numerous local government jurisdictions and over 18 operators. Combined with the release of the MyTransLink mobile application, the Real-Time system has improved passenger information, allowing customers to make travel choices based on actual, not scheduled, travel times.

 

“As host nation of the 2016 ITS World Congress, and on behalf of ITS Asia Pacific, many congratulations to this year’s Hall of Fame winners. The ITS industry is competitive and to be nominated and win an Award is a wonderful achievement. We look forward to welcoming the Hall of Fame winners from Asia Pacific, and from ITS America and ERTICO - ITS Europe, to Melbourne and recognising their significant contribution to the industry,” ITS Australia CEO Susan Harris said.