Public Policy and Governance Challenges Associated with Next-Gen Intelligent Transportation Systems

The recent emergence of new web and mobile computing technologies, coupled with the explosion of high-resolution, context-sensitive data sources has provided a set of powerful tools and resources for ITS practitioners. However, as a result, the implementation of these technologies are generating an expansive array of new policy demands associated with the selection, procurement, installation, operations and overall governance of new systems utilizing these new technologies. The Connected Vehicle, Big Data, Government 2.0 and Private Data are just a few of the next-gen solutions that will require significant policy development.

Big Data and Data Management
The explosion of viable data viable for ITS solutions has given rise to numerous policy challenges. So called “Big Data” represents the exponential growth of data available for ITS via new data sources such as smartphones, connected vehicles and other connected devices (infrastructure). The management of this data will initially present significant policy challenges for public agencies responsible for the entire vertical integration of data management strategies, from the collection (origin), aggregation and processing, to development and dissemination of actionable content (destination). Policy and governing guidelines will be required for basic configuration issues, such as data formatting, to the more complex issue regarding rights and ownership of the new data, throughout the entire “life cycle” of the data. The cloud computing model has also generated issues concerning data management policies.

Private Data
Private data is also generating substantial policy debate. Private data has proven successful for certain “passive” ITS solutions such as providing the data for travel time information. However, the continued integration and “active” use of private data, whether obtained from private citizens or third party data vendors, will pose challenges to those who curate and manage public policy. Can private data be used to supply data to feed traffic management systems where safety is involved? Can private data vendors assume the risk associated with signal systems, freeway management systems or other traffic management systems that require data to fuel operational applications (algorithms)? Traffic management systems are traditionally reliant on publicly owned and operated data sources, such as point detection devices (Microwave, Inductive loop, video, etc.). Legal issues associated with potential tort, negligence and liability will need to be addressed for all systems that “actively” utilize privately sourced data, particularly where human safety is involved.

Open Data
Opening data to the public for crowdsourcing new applications and solutions has yielded valuable transportation tools and applications, but who is responsible for problems associated with the publicly-generated application? Who owns the data that feeds the system? Is the data open and rights-free to anyone in the general public? What about private technology vendors that generate data through their proprietary applications, technologies and/or solutions? Many vendors claim sole rights to the data, which precludes the data from being “open”, even though the data was generated from public infrastructure or the public itself, thus “locking down” the data and precluding it from other, free uses.

Connected Vehicle
The utilization of connected vehicles is possibly the most complex technology that will require significant public policy and governance. Successful implementation of the connected vehicle ecosystem will require addressing substantial policy issues on a number of fronts, including privacy, driver-distraction, data ownership and usage rights, and probably most important, liability. Decisions regarding overarching governance will be required for data ownership and usage-rights for all data transmitted to and from a vehicle (V2V, V2I, etc.), to the cloud, and between public infrastructure and private devices. Who will be liable for accidents related to connected-vehicle data or technology errors?

Government 2.0
The emergence of “Government 2.0” strategies has also posed significant public policy debate. The engagement of the general public for the support of operating and managing public agencies, including transportation systems, has been highly successful in many respects, yet generated a new “breed” of policy issues. In addition, the use of social media tools to implement two-way engagement with the citizens has significantly challenged document management requirements, such as those associated with open records requests, or information management requirements associated with Sarbanes-Oxley.

Others
As always, privacy concerns will be a primary concern for all of the aforementioned policies that are developed. In addition, the “consumerization” of information technologies, where the citizen is taking on the rights and responsibilities of owning and operating their own computer devices, has shifted some of the enterprise strain to the consumer, and facilitated a “flattening” of organizational structures, yet what are the legal responsibilities for the overarching agency where data is generated, or operational efforts are conducted and issues arise? It’s clear that a strong policy framework and organizational governance will be essential in successfully implementing and managing next-gen ITS.

References and Resources
FHWA Office of Transportation Policy Studies
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/otps/index.htm
USDOT Office of Transportation Policy
http://ostpxweb.dot.gov/policy/index.htm
Transportation Policy Yahoo Group
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-policy/
National Transportation Policy Project
http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/projects/national-transportation-policy-project
George Mason Transportation Policy, Operations and Logistics
http://policy.gmu.edu/Home/AcademicProfessionalPrograms/MastersPrograms/TransportationPolicyOperationsLogistics/tabid/108/Default.aspx