ITS Australia opened its new National ITS Centre in February 2006. The Centre is intended to 'serve as a focal point harnessing technological innovation to improve the safety, efficiency and security in all modes of transport in Australia'. The new centre is able to demonstrate new technology and act as a discussion venue aimed at government. It is an intelligent transport system test bed, located next to a freeway and in a region that is home to several ITS companies. ITS Australia used consultants Ernst and Young who used Crystal Ball software to model the annual economic, social and environmental benefits attributable to the introduction of new ITS technologies. It was estimated that the benefits directly attributable to the ITS Centre would be AUS$2248 million, with reductions in vehicle kilometres travelled, gas emissions, and usage of fossil fuels and increases in freight movement efficiency and road safety. The opening of the centre has generated more business than was originally predicted.
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