Internet of Everything Fuels New Standards for Smarter Austrian Roads

The transportation industry is on the cusp of a total revolution with the Internet of Everything pushing our innovation. Cisco estimates that the coming together of people, process, data and things in Internet of Everything (IoE) world creates unprecedented opportunity. Specifically, over $19 trillion in value at stake will be up for grabs by public and private sector organizations and our industry is certainly capturing its share of that opportunity. Through the use of networked sensors and real-time data reports, agencies like ours across the world have used connected transportation to keep commuters moving by setting new standards for millions of miles worth of roadways. Read the ASFINAG case study.

As network connections increase, optimizing the possibilities of the Internet of Everything and transforming them into real-life transportation solutions are at the core of our business. Road conditions, traffic congestion, construction delays and weather are potential nightmares for both commuters and businesses. Through our investment in Internet of Everything-enabled solutions, we’ve improved the safety of Austria’s roads, tunnels and bridges – leading to maximized road utilization.

ASFINAG oversees all aspects of service – planning, building, maintenance and operations – for more than 2,200 kilometers (roughly 1,367 miles) of Austria’s roadways. And more than a decade ago, we envisioned a plan to connect all these roads with sensors and a roadside network that would route information to our central operations center to monitor everything from accidents to weather conditions.

And with developments like Cisco’s Connected Roadways, we’re making this possible every day. Already, we’ve reduced our need for investing through better road utilization and exceeded governing agency standards for road transport, resulting in safer, more informed – and hopefully happier – drivers. The benefits of folding new technology practices into the day-to-day of traveling from Point A to Point B is astonishing considering the outcomes garnered through real-time reporting that IoE-enabled solutions have made possible. Connected roadside sensors, cameras, traffic lights –shaping the futuristic cities that only decades ago, were just dreams.

The promise of opportunity within the transportation industry is enormous when technology is used in intelligent ways. We have already connected more than 70,000 sensors and 6,500 traffic cameras over fiber optic networks, giving us live feedback on our roads. Using this data, we can help route emergency vehicles, provide drivers with up-to-date information, and even adjust speed limits to alleviate traffic jams. With an increase in connections and enhanced communication, we are more informed of the conditions and obstacles that impede growth and evolution. We are empowered to make better decisions and choices regarding budgets, resources and how and when information is relayed to the public.

The roadways and streets of the future are in Austria now. We are watching our industry change around us and reaping the benefits that connected roadways have made possible. So far, the ride has been amazing and we’re looking at more ways to use data analytics to learn more about our customers and our roads on this journey.

For more Information:

Learn more about ASFINAG and the validated network designs for Cisco Connected Roadways in this informative Cisco webcast, Cisco Connected Roadways: For Improved Safety, Mobility and Traffic Flow.