Celebrating 30 years of supporting the ITS industry

What were you doing in 1995? Andrew Barriball was in Yokohama, along with some people from a nascent sector who wanted to make transportation cleaner and safer …

April 9, 2025 Read time: 3 mins

Crack open the champagne! Prepare the speeches! In some ways it’s a surprise that we’ve reached this anniversary. There was nothing inevitable about the ITS sector’s expansion. It was all quite low-key in the early days.

My introduction to the mysterious world of intelligent transportation systems started in 1995, in Yokohama, Japan, at the second ITS World Congress – the first had been held in Paris in 1994. It was immediately evident that this was a sector in its infancy: it seems hard to imagine now, but the extent of the exhibition was a series of tables, dressed only with linen tablecloths and product literature. When you think about the huge stands and slick product displays which will be on show at the 30th ITS World Congress in Atlanta, US, this August, the contrast could hardly be greater.

Baby steps

Conversations about the applications and limits of ITS were also taking baby steps. I recall some of the early discussions being around whether CCTV was indeed a reliable alternative to loops - and we marvelled at the concept of digital mapping being presented at the (very generous) hospitality suite, hosted by Navigation Technologies.

So what united us 30 years ago? We were a group who bought into the vision of a better, safer and more productive future, with fewer poisonous emissions - but we needed to convince those in authority to show the courage and ‘give ITS a go’. Thankfully, some did.

Today, 30 years on, the industry has matured out of all recognition and there are numerous societal benefits that have been gained as a result. But there is still a long way to go. And that is where ITS International fits in.

Our first issue (above) deals with a few topics which are still familiar to all of us in the industry: passenger information systems (could be better); congestion (better in some ways); political gridlock (hmmm….)

And as you can see from the range of cover designs on the previous pages, our look has matured a bit too. But even though ITS International’s clothes have changes over the years, our role remains much the same: it’s simple - we are the interface between those who actually know, and those who need to know! It’s not very scientific, but I like to think we are playing a pivotal role in keeping the industry updated and informed: long may that continue.

Championing the industry

We’ve been fortunate to be supported and championed by the great and good of the ITS industry – we’re grateful for that, and I hope we’ve done our bit in supporting and championing the sector as well.

Throughout 2025, we are celebrating our birthday with reminiscences from some industry luminaries, and taking a look back at some of the highlights – and perhaps one or two lowlights, too, to remind us how far we’ve come.

Check out @ITS International Magazine on LinkedIn, and join in with our weekly #FlashbackFriday questions: there are no prizes but it’s a great place to share your thoughts on the industry then and now, on where you were in 1995 (kindergarten, or not even born, in some cases!) and, indeed, what you’ve been doing in the industry since then.

And it will be fascinating to see where we will be 10 years from now…. Roll on, ITS International’s 40th birthday!