NEWBITS provided a framework at the ITS macro level (WP2), by clearly defining all relevant concepts (e.g. ITS, C-ITS, ITS initiatives, ITS services) and by providing an overview of ITS initiatives in the EU and the US. By applying the relevant ITS categories for the project deployment, NEWBITS validated the four case studies that have been considered as the empirical material for WP3, 4 and 5.
To understand the market environment, WP3 performed a market research analysis of ITS/C-ITS markets and a conjoint analysis. The results of these activities are:
- A synthetic overview of the different approaches and strategies adopted in the EU and the US regarding the deployment and diffusion of ITS innovation product and processes.
- The selection of the ITS innovation areas, the identification of their main characteristics and a comparative analysis.
- The identification of key innovation diffusion determinants based in technological, organizational, policy-related, financial and regulatory factors. Relevant recommendations about boosting ITS innovation diffusion on the EU and US markets are formulated.
In order to understand how the EU ITS (C-ITS) industry can extend its experience by business model change and establish a solid theoretical foundation, WP4 focused on the global practices and models that exist in the literature and performed a thorough literature review to present the latest state of art as well as build-up a conceptual framework for the value network analysis. Also, four case study-based ideation workshops were organised and carried out from the consortium in Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK.
To respond to specific challenges that delay ITS deployment in Europe, the NEWBITS methodology exploited at a conceptual level – the business ecosystems, and at an operational level applied the value network approach. This shed more light on how companies cooperate and collaborate to create and exchange value in innovative ITS projects, which allowed us to develop a five-step formal process for crafting new business models described as a network with shared value and risks among all stakeholders.
Moreover, in WP5 the designed business models were then validated by an extensive Cost – Benefit analysis, the conclusions of which were enhanced in a practical framework with critical success factors and performance indicators. The goal is to accelerate ITS deployment in Europe. Based on this work we were able to provide the industry with business case guidelines and an online training programme.
Finally, WP6 began to enhance the operation of an informal network of Communities of Interest (CoI) having as members all the participants in the case studies plus other representatives or entities related to the themes of each case. To improve the actual cooperation between stakeholders in innovative ITS projects, we developed a NEWBITS Network Platform (www.newbits.eu) to provide stakeholders with various opportunities through the differing functionalities to communicate, interact and exchange knowledge and practices. It gives them incentives to expand their collaboration and design their own networks with Communities of Interest.
Through the analysis of all four cases in different work packages, we show the emergence of new business models described as networks, where stakeholders collaborate effectively by undertaking a particular business role and executing specific functions that add value to the network as a whole.
In the end, the proposed policy recommendations highlight the necessity of approaches that the European policy-makers will have to consider in order to allow the emergence of such new business models for the ITS services, products and applications. The Consortium presented their recommendations to the European Parliament on 21st March 2019.
