Kapsch builds connected corridor in Spain
- October 28, 2024
- Steve Rogerson
Austrian firm Kapsch TrafficCom has completed Spain’s first connected-corridor project that lets vehicles and infrastructure communicate with each other.
The Bizkaia project is on the A8 highway in northern Spain. spanning 57km from Ermua to Ugaldebieta near Bilbao.
This project, promoted by the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia (www.bizkaia.eus) and Tecnalia (www.tecnalia.com), represents Spain’s first connected corridor. It allows vehicles and infrastructure to communicate with each other.
By providing real-time information about road and traffic conditions such as traffic warnings, alerts for dangerous areas, and updates on congestion, the corridor makes traffic safer and more reliable.
“This project has been a true first-of-its-kind for Spain,” said Javier Aguirre, managing director at Kapsch TrafficCom in Spain and Portugal. “One of the key tasks was ensuring smooth technical coordination among multiple stakeholders. We had to establish reliable communication between our teams, the traffic control centre and other project partners. This kind of coordination has no precedent in Spain, which required us to remain adaptable and agile throughout the project.”
Aguirre also emphasised the challenges that arose, saying: “The availability of critical components as well as the need to fine-tune and validate the system posed challenges. However, we managed to complete the installation over a year ago, and we’ve worked closely with all parties, diligently conducting the testing and validation to ensure the project success.”
Kapsch was selected for its expertise in delivering intelligent traffic systems (ITS), ensuring seamless communication and data exchange between roadside infrastructure and vehicles. This cooperative corridor initiative includes:
- Supply and installation of 25 roadside units that allow data exchange between infrastructure and vehicles
- Deployment of three ITS G5 on-board units (OBUs) and three V2X OBUs
- Configuration and installation of a connected mobility control centre, central to the project’s real-time monitoring capabilities
- A 12-month warranty and four years of hardware and software maintenance
These technologies and services enable a responsive traffic environment, ensuring drivers receive real-time updates about road conditions, thereby improving safety and reducing congestion.
This project should set the stage for future innovations in connected mobility in Spain, establishing a foundation for safer, more efficient roads.
Kapsch TrafficCom (www.kapsch.net) is a provider of transportation technology for sustainable mobility with projects in more than 50 countries, including innovations in tolling services, traffic management and demand management. The company is headquartered in Vienna, and has subsidiaries and branches in more than 25 countries. In its 2023-24 financial year, about 4000 employees generated revenues of €539m.