German highways are now becoming safer thanks to the construction site warning!

German highways are now becoming safer thanks to the construction site warning!

Deutschland - On May 20, 2025, Kapsch Trafficcom and Autobahn GmbH of the federal government have completed the first phase of an extensive project to improve security on German highways. The implementation of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-iTs) should be made safer. This initiative represents the largest project of its kind in Europe and includes the installation of 1,000 ITS roadside stations (IRS), which are attached to mobile barriers. The built -in devices send warning messages to approaching vehicles in order to draw attention to construction site zones and reduce the risk of accidents. The construction site warnings are used in 8,600 of the 13,000 kilometers of motorway in Germany, which significantly increases the range and effectiveness of the system. Kapsch Trafficcom installed the hardware in collaboration with 120 motorway masters and supplied the software to control these devices.

Another aspect of the project is the connection of the construction site information to the backend systems of Autobahn GmbH, which provides this data at the national access point (Mobilithek). The first phase is limited to activating the construction site warning; Future phases of the project should include further cooperative services in order to continuously increase security on the highways. This development is particularly important because C-ITs enable direct information between vehicles and infrastructure in real time. Security-relevant information, such as construction site warnings, traffic jam or storming reports, can be spread quickly, which improves the response time in critical situations.

C-iTs and traffic safety

The Federal Office of Information Technology (BSI) has found that C-ITs can significantly increase safety in road traffic. By replacing digital radio messages between networked road users and the transport infrastructure, the accident prevention is promoted and the flow of traffic improves. Various applications in the context of C-ITs, such as construction site warnings and congestion warnings, are already in testing and are to be transferred to regular operation in the future. According to the technical guideline TR-03164 of the BSI, high IT security standards are required to ensure the integrity of the news and the authenticity of the senders.

All C-ITs messages are signed digitally and the corresponding signature methods are specified by ETSI. Special safety precautions must be taken to implement and operate the security certificates in order to establish the PKI team architecture. These measures are essential for the safe operation of the C-IT stations.

outlook for the future

The new ecosystem, which is made up of road operators, the automotive industry and service providers, promises considerable potential. The networking of the motorway traffic centers with the vehicles opens up new communication options that optimize the flow of traffic and increase security. Other planned C-IT services include warnings about winter service vehicles, as well as in the fire brigade and police. These measures aim at a differentiated and efficient control of the traffic process, which should ultimately lead to a reduction in accidents and traffic jams.

The project for construction site warning, which was transferred to regular operation in 2021, is only the first step in a comprehensive plan for integrating intelligent traffic systems in Germany. The continuous development and expansion of C-IT applications will continue to be the focus of the traffic safety strategies in the coming years