GINA project kicks off

GINA (GNSS for INnovative road Applications) kicks off while the European Institutions are still immersed in the debate on the “Eurovignette” Directive, which lays down common rules on pricing of transport infrastructure. GINA considers the use of position integrity to set up a nation-wide road pricing scheme. Over the next 24 months, the project will analyse and demonstrate that the adoption of EGNOS (and Galileo in the future) for Road User Charging and Value Added Services (VAS) is technically feasible and will offer new business opportunities to the road sector.

Following an in-depth and market-oriented analysis of the national context, GINA (GNSS for INnovative road Applications) project will see the implementation of a nation-wide GNSS-based road pricing and VAS demonstration in the Netherlands. In the second stage of the project, 100 cars equipped with a dedicated On Board Unit will circulate on the Dutch road network for 6 months. In addition, an analysis of the drivers’ behaviour will be performed in order to link the use of EGNOS/Galileo with the reduction of pollution and management of congestion.

The future Dutch ABvM system being currently the first and unique nation wide road pricing scheme based on GNSS only, its requirements and characteristics will be taken as a reference to set up GINA road pricing trial. Furthermore, the partners of the project representing the end users will bring their knowledge and expertise to help defining the technical and commercial requirements to comply with road pricing (CENIT) and VAS schemes (ARVAL car leasing company for Pay-As-You-Drive, AENOR for road tolling and traffic information).

In the course of the kick off meeting organised in the premises of the project coordinator GMV, the 12 project partners officially started to work on the GSA/EC co-funded FP7 project. On this occasion, the European Union Road Federation unveiled the future project website design. This website, which will be launched in the coming weeks, will bring forward the key project aspects and milestones and feature regular project news.

GINA is offering a unique opportunity to foster the adoption of EGNOS/Galileo in the road sector by addressing the various obstacles preventing road pricing and VAS large-scale take off and considering their positive impacts on different aspects such as congestion and pollution.