The use of intelligent transportation system (ITS) applications in Vietnam in accordance with the global trends is of critical importance, a workshop heard in Ho Chi Minh City on February 21.

Experts said Vietnam now has more than 31 million motorcycles and 1.6 million other automobiles of all kinds, with the figures forecast to zoom up in the coming time. They warned that a lack of traffic safety and environmental pollution are very real risks if measures are not taken to ease the situation.

As the country has poor traffic infrastructure and commuters are unaware of many road laws, the use of the ITS to control traffic in an effective way is invaluable, they stated.

According to the Department of Science and Technology under the Transport Ministry, ITS applications include various items, for example traffic cameras or devices to monitor the weight of vehicles and speed.

ITS technology has been put into use on several highways, such as National Highway No. 3, the HCM City – Trung Luong Highway and the Cau Gie – Ninh Binh Highway.

However, participants said the application of the smart system in Vietnam has encountered an array of challenges, such as a lack of investment capital and a shortage of ITS workers who meet technical standards.

They therefore urged the country to devise standards, train staff, build traffic steering centres for each region and call for investment into the system.-VNA