ETSI, an independent not-for-profit association that offers globally-applicable standards for Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), has introduced its fifth ETSI ITS Plugtest, a two week testing event that will focus on vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications.

The event is reported to take place from 7 to 17 November around the port of Livorno in Italy.

ETSI ITS vice-chair Marco Annoni said: “In collaborative ITS communications, interoperability is key and this is a great opportunity for solution providers to test their products.

"The event will focus on the deployment and interoperability of ITS equipment, as well as integration between ITS and Internet of Things."

“The fact that companies from different ITS sectors are increasingly involved and ready to test under real life conditions shows the high level of maturity of ITS standards and implementations.”

For creating this test bed, ETSI has closely worked with its partners who include partners ERTICO, Regione Toscana, CNIT, Livorno Port Authority, AVR, Autostrade Tech, and Telecom Italia.

The event will focus on the deployment and interoperability of ITS equipment, as well as integration between ITS and Internet of Things.

ERTICO CEO Hermann Meyer said: “We are very excited to partner with ETSI for this first real life event.

“Over the past few years we have organised testing events and created an Interoperability Interest Group to enlarge the scope of these activities and cooperate with third parties in the development of an ITS standardisation roadmap.”

The event will also test the eco system of ITS technology that include infrastructure and applications placed inside vehicles in real life conditions.

The test site will feature variable message signs, traffic lights, IoT sensors and cameras as well as connectivity with the highway control center.