2026.02.17 St. Petersburg, Russia
Dear Strategy & Innovation Partners,
I believe the following insights into the GITS framework development and its systemic implementation will be of great interest to you.
Call to Action: Beyond the "Babylonian Confusion" — Towards a Unified Transport Protocol
Author: Vladimir P. Postnikov, Engineering Systems Architect, Author of the GITS Concept.
Preamble:
Modern surface transportation is currently experiencing a "Babylonian Paradox": we continue to engineer sophisticated, high-performance vehicles, yet they remain confined within a fragmented landscape of incompatible systems. In 2010, I introduced the concept of the Global Intelligent Transport System (GITS) as a strategic framework to overcome this fundamental systemic inefficiency. [1], [2]
Two years later, Siemens unveiled the eHighway project, effectively validating the technical feasibility of my 2010 propositions. However, eHighway represents only a partial implementation—a "driver-operated trolley-truck." By retaining human control, they took a step back from the comprehensive GITS framework I submitted to them in late 2010. Nevertheless, their project practically confirmed that the technical realization of GITS is achievable today.
To achieve a true paradigm shift and implement fully autonomous vehicle systems, we must look beyond mere "hardware." We require a Unified Physical Protocol.
Proposal to the Global Engineering Community :
I propose an immediate cessation of the technological rivalry between disparate national formats in favor of developing the Open GITS Standard. This initiative should leverage the established expertise of global leaders in vehicle manufacturing and electric propulsion, integrated with the systemic logic of fully autonomous control.
Core Parameters of the Proposed Standard:
1. Dimensional Standardization (Modularity):
- Unified Vehicle Width: Standardized at 2.55m (the maximum permissible width for public road infrastructure).
- Variable Vehicle Length: A modular range from a 6m minimum to a 13m maximum. This allows for scalable logistics and seamless automated handling.
- Standardized Infrastructure Profiles: Unified internal tunnel dimensions, including track gauge and clearance envelopes.
- Unified "Safety Belt" Height: A standardized horizontal alignment for vehicle safety interfaces. This parameter functions similarly to the standardized height of automatic couplers in rail transport, ensuring physical interoperability regardless of the manufacturer.
2. Energy Infrastructure and Systems Integration:
- Propulsion and Power Supply: An all-electric drivetrain powered via a catenary network. The current eHighway (Siemens) architecture serves as a viable technical baseline.
- Voltage Optimization: While the 750V DC standard utilized by Siemens is a robust starting point, the Global System should evaluate an increase in operating voltage to optimize power distribution and reduce the required density of traction substations.
- Infrastructure Reference: Existing Siemens technical specifications for overhead line height and pantograph design should be adopted as the primary reference for future highway electrification standards. The network must be engineered to deliver a continuous power output of up to 300 kW per vehicle on level terrain.
- Systemic Standardization:Unified standards for all mechanical subsystems.
Standardized specifications for vehicle controllers and their respective software architectures.
Unified communication protocols and a centralized management system for routing and logistics.
Strategic Objective: Every vehicle, regardless of the manufacturer, must strictly adhere to a unified set of requirements governing its physical parameters, telemetry, and software interfaces.
Overcoming the "Lake Constance Postulate"
The Lake Constance Postulate mandates a strict operational separation: it prohibits the simultaneous operation of autonomous vehicles and human-operated vehicles within the same environment. The principle is binary: it must be one or the other.
Within the GITS framework, vehicle safety is not dependent on human reaction time. Instead, safety is guaranteed by an Independent Onboard Safety System installed on every vehicle.
- Decoupled Architecture: This safety system operates autonomously and is functionally isolated from the primary traffic management and routing network.
- Fail-Safe Standards: While the safety system of each vehicle is autonomous, it must strictly comply with a unified architectural standard to ensure predictable behavior in a collective environment.
Operational Flexibility and Market Integration:
GITS-compliant vehicles retain the capability to operate on existing public road networks when coupled with a human-piloted lead vehicle. Whether this integration is achieved via a semi-rigid tow bar or a comprehensive physical interface (carrying power and control signals) remains a subject for future technical coordination and standardization.
Strategic Advantages for Corporations:
- Global Market Expansion: Adopting a unified standard will expand the market reach for manufacturers to a global scale. This eliminates the need for costly engineering modifications required to meet fragmented national regulations.
- Economies of Scale: Manufacturers can produce a single, standardized platform that is compliant with international infrastructure by design.
Benefits for Logistics and Transport Operators:
The transition presents no operational barriers for transport companies.
- Freedom of Choice: Fleet operators retain the right to procure vehicles from any manufacturer of their choosing, provided they meet the GITS standard.
- Operational Transparency: Logistics providers gain access to a seamless, transparent system for real-time cargo tracking and supply chain management.
Call to Action:
Any stakeholder or corporation is invited to initiate an International Symposium to coordinate the development of unified standards for the future global transport network. This symposium should serve as a platform for expert panel discussions across all functional layers of the GITS project.
We do not need to reinvent the wheel—the necessary technologies already exist. Our immediate task is to establish a Joint Coordination Body to harmonize optimal standards and to initiate the development of shared Interoperability Testing Facilities (Test Tracks).
"Transportation must become as transparent and universal as the Internet. Let us agree on unified protocols today to eliminate systemic friction tomorrow."[3]
References:
[1] - TRID (the TRIS and ITRD Database) https://trid.trb.org/View/1137431
[2] - Extended Concept Paper: Presented at the EVER’11 Forum (Ecological Vehicles and Renewable Energies), Monaco, 2011.
https://yadi.sk/i/nJhNoO003VbgY2
[3] - An analytical philosophical review detailing the initial stages of the GITS framework development and an inquiry into the systemic barriers to its early adoption.
https://dzen.ru/a/aZIyztwRbkWfdpuM
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by phone or email.
Vladimir Postnikov
Engineering Systems Architect
Phone: +7 904 338 6100
or +7 963 309 3390
vladimir.p.postnikov@gmail.com
