The continuous rise in traffic volume and the associated problems have become the central issue in plans to make the greater Munich region more attractive in future. Therefore Munich COMFORT is the contribution of telematics to mastering existing and future traffic and transport problems in the Bavarian capital of Munich and its surrounding region, Bavaria. With this in mind, the traffic authorities of the Capital of Munich (LHM) and the Free State of Bavaria (FB) started in 1989 to look together for partners which should help to solve these problems. These partners were identified on communal, national and European level as well as in the sector of industry, consultancy and the university. All partners together decided in 1991 to participate in the DRIVE II/ATT project LLAMD/COMFORT which was sponsored by EU funds. At the same time the Munich COMFORT project was created in 1992 on a local basis in order to test the feasibility of implementing a Cooperative Transport Management System based on state-of-the-art traffic control systems. Therefore, the Munich Partners committed themselves additionally by an agreement in 1994. The main aims were: (1) to shift part of motorised private traffic to an efficient public transport system; (2) to introduce traffic control systems; (3) to modify the traffic regulations; and (4) to co-ordinate co-operation between those who are responsible for transport. For realising the different components of Munich COMFORT, a testfield in the northern part of Munich was determined. Generally, the following tasks have been undertaken successfully: (a) public transport; information and management; (b) transfer: park-and-ride; (c) urban and regional traffic control; (d) on-board information systems; and (e) integrated data networking. The main aim is an integrated data networking for systems. Although the systems integrated in Munich COMFORT can be more or less operated independently of each other, they only begin to develop their full potential when individual modules are combined strategically to form an integrated concept. This includes data such as traffic density, congestion in the city and on the motorways, timetable deviations and P&R data.
Abstract