System integration in buses

System integration, the key to the success of on-board devices and passenger entertainment systems

In the environment of buses and coaches it is essential to achieve an integration of systems, we can have diverse connection options such as, SAE, ticketing, driving monitoring, entertainment systems, wifi, cctv, etc. Traditionally each environment has involved the installation of a "black box" (or black box in technical jargon), which served a specific function, as more systems have been added to the vehicle the number of black boxes has increased to make the process of installation, maintenance and operations, expensive and complex.

Examples of typical "Black Boxes" that exist on a bus.

To avoid this problem, it is convenient that the entertainment solutions are prepared to be able to integrate third-party environments, thus being able to reduce the number of elements to be installed and having a number of smaller isolated functions.

Advantages of system integration

The two advantages that we can obtain are:

• The elimination of redundant black boxes, to reduce space and simplify installation
• The display of route information and time at destination on passenger screens.

How to achieve this system integration?

There are several projects to achieve the integration of systems such as SIRI or "Service Interface for Real Time Information" that allows the exchange of travel data, stops, routes, etc, or the new ITXTS project that seeks the standardization of device protocols on board.

A new standard for information exchange is the ITXPT or Information Technology for Public Transport.

This standard allows the systems that comply with said implementation to share certain information and be aware of the systems installed in the vehicle.

Software services based on HTML5 can also be integrated with all the richness available in said applications or there is even the possibility of virtualization, that is, having an internal application server on which other applications are installed.

The integration and unification of systems is a pending issue that will have to be addressed by the different manufacturers in the coming years.