Communication Technologies for Intelligent Transportation Systems: From Railways to UAVs and Beyond

2026-01-20

AI Summary

This work addresses the lack of a unified, reliable, and interoperable communication architecture in current intelligent transportation systems, which hinders the realization of automation, safety, and efficiency under multimodal coordination. To bridge this gap, the paper proposes an integrated communication framework that synergistically combines 5G/6G connectivity, AI-driven network control, and unified modeling, augmented by cutting-edge technologies such as reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS), integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), and digital twins. This framework enables a unified communication testbed tailored for diverse domains—including railways, roadways, aviation, and unmanned aerial vehicles—thereby establishing a critical technical pathway toward cross-modal interoperability, system robustness, and scalability. The proposed approach fosters deep integration between communication and transportation infrastructures and provides theoretical foundations to support standardization efforts and industry–academia collaboration.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Multimodal Perception & Sensor Fusion
• Multiagent Systems: Agent Communication
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web applications in cross-disciplinary domains and verticals such as mixed reality, smart cities, and digital health
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and multi-modal RAG
• Social Networks and Social Media: Generative AI / large language models and their impact on social systems

Abstract

This white paper aims to comprehensively analyze and consolidate the state of the art in communication technologies supporting modern and future Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Its primary objective is to establish a common understanding of how communication solutions enable automation, safety, and efficiency across multiple transport domains, including railways, road vehicles, aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The document seeks to identify key communication requirements and technological enablers necessary for interoperable and reliable ITS operation. It also assesses the limitations of current systems and proposes pathways for integrating emerging technologies such as 5G, Sixth Generation (6G), and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven network control. The white paper also intends to support harmonization between different transport modes through a unified framework for communication modeling, testing, and standardization. It highlights the importance of accurate channel modeling and empirical validation to design efficient, robust, and scalable systems. Another objective is to explore the use of reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, integrated sensing and communication, and digital twin concepts within ITS. The document emphasizes the role of spectrum management and standardization efforts in ensuring interoperability among diverse communication systems. Finally, the paper seeks to stimulate collaboration among academia, industry, and standardization bodies to advance the design of resilient and adaptive communication infrastructures for future transportation systems.

Problem

• Intelligent Transportation Systems
• Communication Technologies
• Interoperability
• Channel Modeling
• Spectrum Management

Innovation

• Integrated Sensing and Communication
• Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces
• AI-driven Network Control
• Digital Twin
• 6G for ITS