Intelligent Transportation Systems Applications: Safety and Transfer of Big Transport Data

Abstract

The distributed ledger technology (Blockchain) offers a fast, scalable solution for data tracking and authentication. Implementation of Blockchain is expected to emphasize the use of technology to decrease or eliminate third-party costs, better protect devices and systems’ data, and enhance transparency and security. Blockchain also offers a highly secure platform that enables quicker operation and payments, and more precise data record of transportation vehicles (in all modes). This feature plays a significant role in the supply chain by providing access to shared information, to decrease or eliminate redundant communication and information, avoiding data transmission errors. Therefore, it becomes feasible to spend less time verifying data and more time analysing and managing data, which can improve the quality of the interaction between participants, control or reduce costs, or both. In the collection, analysis, and secure sharing of big data with relevant parties, technological advances and the efficient use of smart transportation systems in urban and rural transportation take priority. Particularly in recent years, the loss of data from hacker attacks or the inability to determine where data is transported demonstrates that Blockchain technology may be used successfully in this field. This paper examines the “Smart Cities Traffic Safety” project, which is one of the largest Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) projects in Turkey and is currently implemented by Samsun Metropolitan Municipality. In these ITS-based transportation applications, Blockchain technology is used to protect against cyber-attacks on the data of intelligent signalised intersections, average speed corridors, parking violation detection, and red-light violation detection systems. Additionally, this research focuses on the secure sharing of the transportation Big Data with third parties based on the step-by-step monitoring of data transfer history. In the context of this project, the first step is to propose a framework that is based on the technology of Blockchain. Then, a platform was developed with the objective to enable the authentication, validation, monitoring, and protection of information and to address the emerging challenges in the field of transportation systems.