Under the KLTSP (Kuala Lumpur Transport Strategic Plan), ASEAN has agreed to enhance the use of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) through the formulation and implementation of the ITS Master Plan, as well as through ITS Capacity Building Programmes.

One of the key achievements is the adoption of the ASEAN Intelligent Transport System Policy Framework 2.0 by the ASEAN, in 2016, which outlines guiding principles for the planning, evaluating, and prioritizing of ITS projects in ASEAN Member States (AMS).

The EU and ASEAN have been engaging on transport, through the EU-ASEAN Transport Dialogue established in 2017, October 11, in Singapore, between DG MOVE and ASEAN STOM. The EU ASEAN Transport Engagements serve as a platform for exchange of information, experience, and best practices and to identify areas of cooperation.

The EU-ASEAN Plan of Action (2018-2022) includes promotion of cooperation and exchange of best practices on regional transport issues. Implementation of regional ITS development can be supported through sharing information, knowledge, experiences, and best practices on the implementation of measures through convening Engagements among AMS as well as between ASEAN and EU.

Interest to engage on intelligent transport systems emerged during the first EU ASEAN Transport Dialogue meetings right after the EU adopted a European Strategy on Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS), in 2016, seen as a milestone initiative towards cooperative, connected, and automated mobility. In this regard, sharing of experiences and best practices in the development of ITS from the EU could be helpful for such developments among AMS.

The cooperation was enabled, in a form of Road Transport Engagement, supported by E-READI, which supported the first in a series of planned workshops under the Road Transport Engagement on ITS, in June 2019 in Singapore.

To present the initial results of the Study on recommendations for the development of the ITS Master Plan, a second workshop was held by the European Commission and ASEAN, with the aim to exchange knowledge between the two regions on information and communication technologies applied in the field of road transport such as infrastructure or traffic management, and discuss challenges and opportunities for ITS development in ASEAN.

This workshop focused on presenting and validating the first findings and draft recommendations of a study entitled ITS Study on the Recommendations for the Development of National ITS Master. This study has been dedicated to performing the assessment of ITS developments in ASEAN countries, taking regional plans and existing materials into account, in order to provide a roadmap and recommendations on the steps needed to be taken by AMS to develop their ITS National Masterplans and to ensure the interoperability of ITS implementation within the ASEAN region.

The interactive session has provided the space for participants to share their views on the study’s initial findings.

This study, tasked to GIZ with the expertise support provided by ARMIS ITS and Ramboll, is based on the activities of the EU- ASEAN Road Transport Engagement.

The recommendations took into account the EU’s experience of development of ITS policies and setting up an enabling framework for interoperability and data sharing mechanisms through the National Access Points (NAPs).

Further developments towards National ITS Architectures, Standards and Cross Border initiatives are being scoped and planned to be carried out in 2022.