Special issue on modelling and control of intelligent transportation systems (ITS)

Over the last decades we verified a huge intensification of human, financial, resource and power flow throughout the world economy. This phenomenon, called as globalization, affects goods and passenger movement, and demands the availability of connections, such as communications and transportation, providing citizens wider options and mobility. Nowadays there is a saturation of transportation infrastructures due to the growing number of vehicles. This situation affects substantially citizens’ lives, particularly in urban areas. In fact, mobility became a primordial aspect in lives of the majority of citizens that, often, need to move easily between different places. The results are traffic congestion, accidents, transportation delays and large vehicle pollution emissions. Difficulties concerned with this subject motivated the research community to center its attention in the area of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). ITS is a global phenomena, attracting worldwide interest from transportation professionals, automotive industry and political decision makers. ITS applies advanced communication, information and electronics technology to solve transportation problems, such as transport efficiency, safety and environmental conservation, creating “more intelligent” roads, vehicles and users. ITS depends on results from research activities