DATEX II

DATEX II
Name	DATEX II
Genre	Traffic and travel data exchange specification
Developer	European Commission, CEN, ERTICO
First release	2008
Latest release	2.3 (example)
License	Open specification

DATEX II DATEX II is a European specification for exchanging traffic and travel information between Intelligent Transportation Systems stakeholders, national traffic management centers, and information service providers. It enables structured sharing of data about events, traffic flow, travel information, and public transport situations among organizations such as European Commission, CEN (European Committee for Standardization), ERTICO – ITS Europe, and national agencies including National Highways (United Kingdom), SNCF, and Rijkswaterstaat. The specification integrates with standards and initiatives like ISO 14819, ETSI, GMPLS, and INSPIRE.

Overview

DATEX II defines an information model and exchange format used by entities such as Traffic Scotland, Västtrafik, Trafikverket, Toll Collect, and commercial providers like TomTom, HERE Technologies, Google, and Uber Technologies to share notifications, measurements, and forecasts. The model supports event reporting, measured traffic flow, journey times, and variable message sign content between organizations including Ministry of Transport (United Kingdom), Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen, ANAS (Italy), and technology companies like Siemens Mobility and IBM. It specifies XML schemas and supports profile alignment with standards from ISO, ETSI ITS, and pan-European programs such as TEN-T and Connecting Europe Facility.

History and Development

Work on the specification began in initiatives led by ERTICO – ITS Europe and national ministries such as Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (Netherlands), with formal contributions from CEN/TC 278 and technical input referencing projects like eCo-FEV, SPEEDFLEET, and SafeRoads. Early pilots involved organizations including Rijkswaterstaat, Vägverket (Sweden), and data hubs like Traffic Control Sweden. Subsequent development cycles incorporated feedback from stakeholders like Eurocontrol, European Union Agency for Railways, Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, and private sector partners such as Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom. Releases aligned with research programs funded by Horizon 2020 and collaborative initiatives including Shift2Rail and C-ITS.

Data Model and Technical Architecture

The specification models core entities such as TrafficFlow, TrafficConcentration, and RoadEvent, enabling exchange between control centers like TfL, SBB, and Rijkswaterstaat and services operated by BlaBlaCar, FlixMobility, and SNCF Voyageurs. It relies on XML Schema Definition (XSD) and UML artifacts produced by experts from ISO/TC 204, CEN/TC 278, ETSI TC ITS, and vendors including Thales Group and Atos. The architecture supports hierarchical locations using references to networks managed by agencies such as Highways England, ANAS, and Austroads, and integrates terminologies and codes aligned with systems like TMC (Traffic Message Channel), OpenLR, and GNSS providers including Galileo and GLONASS.

Message Types and Use Cases

Common message types include SituationPublication, TrafficFlowPublication, and CarParkAvailabilityPublication used by operators such as Eurotunnel, Port of Rotterdam, Helsinki Regional Transport Authority, and private fleets like DHL and DB Schenker. Use cases range from real-time incident alerts for agencies like Police Service of Northern Ireland and Gendarmerie Nationale to travel information services used by Booking.com and Skyscanner. Other use cases include variable message sign management for authorities such as Vinci Autoroutes, parking guidance for municipalities like Barcelona City Council, and multimodal traveler information aggregation for platforms like MaaS Global and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) pilots.

Implementations and Deployments

Deployments exist across Europe with national hubs run by Trafikverket, Rijkswaterstaat, Service public fédéral Mobilité (Belgium), and regional platforms operated by Transport for London and Helsinki Region Transport. Commercial integrations have been delivered by suppliers including TomTom, HERE Technologies, Siemens Mobility, and systems integrators like Accenture and Capgemini. Interoperability pilots have involved projects with Eurocontrol, EUMETSAT, and regional cooperation such as Nordic ITS and Baltic Sea Region initiatives. Implementations often use middleware from vendors like Oracle, Microsoft Azure, or Amazon Web Services.

Governance, Standards and Interoperability

Governance is coordinated by standards bodies and consortia including CEN, ERTICO – ITS Europe, and the European Commission with technical alignment to ISO, ETSI, and directives such as Directive 2010/40/EU. Interoperability testing has been driven by testbeds run by organizations like TRL (Transport Research Laboratory), TNO, and CEREMA, and by integration events involving stakeholders such as UNECE and International Transport Forum. Harmonization efforts reference related standards including ISO 14823, ISO 19101, and directives linked to the European Electronic Toll Service.

Security, Privacy and Compliance

Security and privacy practices for deployments reference frameworks and authorities including ENISA, GDPR, and guidance from European Data Protection Board. Implementations incorporate transport-layer security from vendors such as Cisco Systems and authentication mechanisms aligned with eIDAS and identity providers like Microsoft and Okta. Compliance testing and certification activities have been performed by test laboratories including DEKRA and TÜV SÜD, and are often part of procurement managed by ministries such as Ministry of Transport (Norway) and infrastructure agencies like Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (European Commission).

Category:Intelligent transport systems