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AFTER MORE THAN FIVE YEARS IN DEVELOPMENT, THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION CONTROLLER (ATC) STANDARDS FOR ROADSIDE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT ARE READY FOR DEPLOYMENT OR NEARING COMPLETION. THIS FEATURE SUMMARIZES THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND OUTLINES A NUMBER OF NEEDS IDENTIFIED BY THE ATC USER COMMUNITY FOR FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS.
AFTER MORE THAN FIVE YEARS IN development, the advanced transportation controller (ATC) standards for roadside computer equipment are ready for deployment or nearing completion. The new ATC standard version 5.2b, available for download at www.ite.org/standards, promises to set a new threshold for traffic controllers. It provides a platform for the deployment of a wide variety of traffic control applications while preserving an agency's investment in software by supporting software portability.
The new ATC standard attempts to overcome the limitations of the 2070 and the older 17Os by expanding communications capabilities, improving performance and providing a basic construct that will allow the ATC to embrace new technology as it becomes available with minimal cost to end users.
Furthermore, where the 2070 is a prescriptive standard for all aspects of construction, the new ATC 5.2b standard takes a more functional and performanceoriented approach, standardizing the interfaces, the operating system and overall size rather than attempting to specify each internal module. By adopting the Linux operating system, the ATC will allow agencies and developers to leverage from the vast array of applications, drivers and features available for this platform.
At the same time, the working group is continuing with the development of an Application Programming Interface (API) standard, which is intended to allow multiple applications to share the resources of the ATC platform. Finally, the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) cabinet provides a modular and powerful platform to support even the most complex traffic control applications.
These standards have been through prototyping phases that have seen field deployments of all elements of the hardware standards, including the Linux operating environment. The ITS cabinet has been extensively tested and field-proven in Harris County, TX, USA; the 2070 has seen nationwide deployment; and the new ATC engine board standard has been adopted for deployment for New York City, NY, USA's upgrade from electromechanical controllers to solid-state equipment.
This feature summarizes the work that has been completed and outlines a number of needs...