Overview
ISO/TR 17732:2024 - Intelligent transport systems (ITS) - Communications - ITS communication role and functional model is a Technical Report that defines a common communication role and functional model for ITS services. The document establishes a framework for delivering communication services that enable cooperative services in smart cities and rural mobility. It focuses on communications over physical and digital infrastructure and explicitly excludes in‑vehicle control systems.
Key topics
The report organizes ITS communications into a role-based, functional architecture and addresses practical communication considerations, including:
- Framework and concept of operations for provision and receipt of ITS communication services
- Role and functional models for actors such as communication service providers, ITS service providers, mobility users, and infrastructure platforms
- Data exchange taxonomy for probe/sensor data, 3D HD maps, and digital infrastructure services
- Connected vehicle/device environment issues: low latency, multi‑device access, network slicing, carrier aggregation, propagation speed between wired/wireless, RF spectrum sharing, Open RAN, and cloud networking
- Security and trust considerations (references ISO 21177 for secure ITS interfaces and PKI-based interactions)
- Application layer role models and options, plus certification considerations for service providers
- Notes on national variations and how the basic role model can be adapted internationally
Practical applications
ISO/TR 17732:2024 is intended to guide the design and deployment of communications platforms that support:
- Smart city services using ITS probe data and sensor sharing
- Cooperative ITS applications that require reliable, low‑latency communications (e.g., automated mobility support, traffic management integration)
- Mobility as a Service (MaaS) ecosystems where multiple actors share digital infrastructure and datasets
- Integration of telecom capabilities (network slicing, cloud RAN) with transport infrastructure for better scalability and QoS
Adoption of the role model helps reduce integration costs, harmonize multi‑vendor deployments, and provide a common baseline for secure, interoperable ITS communications.
Who should use this standard
- City planners and transport authorities designing smart city mobility platforms
- ITS service providers and system integrators building data exchange architectures
- Telecom operators and communication service providers aligning networks for ITS use cases
- Standards developers and regulators harmonizing ITS communications, security, and certification
Related standards
- ISO 21177 (secure ITS interface / secure data exchange protocols)
- Existing ITS Station architecture and communication media standards (referenced within the report)
ISO/TR 17732:2024 is a prescriptive guidance document for building interoperable, secure, and scalable ITS communication platforms across urban and rural mobility ecosystems.