Courses:

The purpose of this subject is to introduce students to the basic elements of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), focusing on technological, systems and institutional aspects. Topics include advanced traveler information systems; transportation network operations; commercial vehicle operations and intermodal freight; public transportation applications; ITS and regional strategic transportation planning, including regional architectures: ITS and changing transportation institutions, ITS and safety, ITS and security, ITS as a technology deployment program, research, development and business models, ITS and sustainable mobility, travel demand management, electronic toll collection, and ITS and road-pricing.

The subject should be of interest to students interested in the general area of transportation; performance, control and management of transportation systems; urban systems; the deployment of advanced technology systems; and transportation policy and societal issues.

Based on lecture material and readings in the ITS literature, students will submit two assignments in the first half of the semester. The first is designed to generally familiarize the students with ITS concepts and perspectives. The second is a "mini" term project, selected by the student in an area of his/her interests.

In the second half of the semester, students will work in small groups to produce a regional ITS architecture for a metro-based region.

1. One short (7 pages) assignment.
   
   
2. "Mini" Term Paper (about 10 pages -- topic to be "negotiated" with Professor Sussman); submitted right after Spring Break.
   
   A. Critical review of selected ITS literature
   
   B. A paper or analysis on some topic of interest to you.
   
   Examples:
   
   - ITS: Perspectives of an Environmentalist
   - Cost/Benefit Analysis of ATIS Technology
   - Network Algorithms: Some Ideas
   - Traffic Light/Expressway Coordination: State of the Art
   - Is Transportation Capacity Politically Correct?
   - Regional Development and ITS
   - ITS and Sprawl
   - ITS and Intermodal Freight
   
   
3. Readings
   
   
4. Group Regional Architecture Project (second half of semester)
   
   
5. Discussion Articles -- We will distribute several articles that will be discussed (interactively) at the next lecture. We will ask you to write a brief summary of the article to be submitted before the discussion.
   
   
6. Class Participation

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering adheres to the strictest standards of academic honesty. An important aspect of achieving these standards is to be sure that students are aware of expectations of faculty as regards academic honesty. This statement is an attempt to clarify the faculty's expectations in 1.212J / ESD.221J.

If you have any questions about how these policies relate to a specific situation, you should speak to Professor Sussman for clarification. MIT's academic honesty policy can be found at the following link: Policies and Procedures.