International Task Force on Vehicle-Highway Automation (ITFVHA)

Richard Bishop, Bishop Consulting, Chair

Purpose
The purpose of this invitation-only meeting is to provide a forum for information exchange and discussion among researchers, government officials, and the private sector regarding ongoing programs to develop advanced driving assistance systems and automated highway systems. The task force uniquely takes a "big picture" approach, knowing that technical symposia regularly address the technological underpinnings of such systems, and examines ways in which the government authorities, the infrastructure (both electronics and concrete), and the vehicle industry can collaborate / cooperate to most effectively offer these services to drivers. Cooperative intelligent vehicle-highway systems are a key focus, because it is only through cooperative systems that the significant goal of congestion relief can be met. Safety and driver comfort are also important areas of focus.

Previous Meetings
The ITFVHA was conceived during the ITS World Congress in Orlando in 1996, and the first ITFVHA was held in conjunction with Demo '97 in San Diego -- 65 persons from 10 countries participated. The second meeting was held in Delft, Netherlands in conjunction with Demo 98, and the third meeting was held along with the 1999 ITS World Congress in Toronto. The fourth meeting was held in conjunction with the very successful Japanese Demo 2000. The fifth meeting was held in Sydney, Australia, the sixth meeting occurred in Chicago in 2002, the seventh meeting was held in Paris in 2003, the 2004 meeting occurred in Nagoya, Japan. Proceedings have been generated for each meeting. (See below to download proceedings.)

Attendees
Previous meetings have included representatives from government ministries, state departments of transportation, vehicle manufacturers, Tier One suppliers, academic institutions, private infrastructure providers, and associations. Countries/regions represented have included: Australia, California, Canada, China, Denmark, European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Minnesota, The Netherlands, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the United States. Private sector representatives typically include automotive and heavy truck manufacturers, industrial automation firms, and technology providers. Approximately 40 people are expected to participate at this year's meeting.

Topics
Overviews of relevant programs worldwide are offered, including ongoing deployment of precursor systems. Additionally, key topics will be presented by experts, followed by discussion. Typical topics include benefits (safety, productivity, traffic flow), deployment paths, cooperative systems, infrastructure roles, and user acceptance / public perception. Discussions focus on the research and policy implications which stem from these issue areas.

Downloads and Orders

The Proceedings Documents (summary of the meeting) from recent meetings can be downloaded here at no cost.

9th ITFVHA (2005) Proceedings
(22.2 MB)

8th ITFVHA (2004) Proceedings
(23.6 MB)

7th ITFVHA (2003) Proceedings
(21.6 MB)

6th ITFVHA (2002) Proceedings
(25.3 MB)

For a copy of the full Proceedings CD, which includes the Proceedings, White Papers, and all Presentations, contact Richard Bishop at richardbishop@mindspring.com. Proceedings CDs from 2001- 2004 are available for $99 each, including shipping worldwide.