PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019 - Public Transport Communication Standard

In the ever-evolving world of public transportation, the need for efficient, reliable, and secure communication between contactless readers and fare media is paramount. The PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019 standard is a comprehensive guide that addresses this need by providing a detailed test plan for ISO/IEC 14443, ensuring seamless interaction between devices and media in public transport systems.

Overview of the Standard

The PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019 is a technical specification that outlines the necessary protocols and procedures for testing the communication between contactless readers and fare media. Released on November 4, 2019, this standard is a crucial tool for developers, engineers, and stakeholders in the public transport sector who are involved in the design, implementation, and maintenance of contactless payment systems.

Key Features

• Standard Number: PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019
• Pages: 36
• ISBN: 978 0 539 03177 5
• Status: Standard

Why This Standard Matters

As public transport systems worldwide increasingly adopt contactless payment solutions, the need for standardized communication protocols becomes critical. The PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019 standard ensures that all components within the system can communicate effectively, reducing the risk of errors and enhancing the overall user experience. By adhering to this standard, transport operators can guarantee that their systems are interoperable, secure, and future-proof.

Benefits of Implementing the Standard

Implementing the PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019 standard offers numerous benefits, including:

• Interoperability: Ensures that different systems and devices can work together seamlessly, regardless of the manufacturer.
• Security: Provides guidelines for secure communication, protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access.
• Reliability: Reduces the likelihood of communication errors, ensuring a smooth and efficient transaction process.
• Future-Proofing: Aligns with international standards, making it easier to integrate new technologies as they emerge.

Detailed Test Plan for ISO/IEC 14443

The PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019 standard includes a detailed test plan specifically designed for ISO/IEC 14443, the international standard for contactless smart cards. This test plan provides a structured approach to evaluating the performance and compatibility of contactless readers and fare media, ensuring that they meet the necessary requirements for public transport applications.

Components of the Test Plan

The test plan outlined in the standard covers several critical components, including:

• Communication Protocols: Defines the protocols for data exchange between readers and fare media.
• Performance Metrics: Establishes benchmarks for evaluating the speed, accuracy, and reliability of communication.
• Compatibility Testing: Ensures that devices from different manufacturers can operate together without issues.
• Security Assessments: Evaluates the robustness of security measures to protect against potential threats.

Who Should Use This Standard?

The PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019 standard is essential for a wide range of professionals involved in the public transport sector, including:

• System Developers: Engineers and developers who design and implement contactless payment systems.
• Transport Operators: Organizations responsible for managing and operating public transport networks.
• Compliance Officers: Professionals tasked with ensuring that systems meet regulatory and industry standards.
• Security Experts: Specialists focused on safeguarding communication channels and protecting user data.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019 standard is an invaluable resource for anyone involved in the development and operation of contactless payment systems in public transport. By providing a comprehensive test plan for ISO/IEC 14443, this standard ensures that communication between contactless readers and fare media is efficient, secure, and reliable. Embracing this standard not only enhances the user experience but also positions transport operators to meet the demands of a rapidly changing technological landscape.

For those looking to stay ahead in the public transport industry, the PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019 standard is a must-have tool that provides the guidance and assurance needed to deliver top-notch contactless payment solutions.

PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019

This standard PD CEN/TS 16794-2:2019 Public transport. Communication between contactless readers and fare media is classified in these ICS categories:

• 35.240.15 Identification cards. Chip cards. Biometrics
• 35.240.60 IT applications in transport

This document comes as a complement to the technical requirements expressed in CEN/TS 16794-1, for ensuring contactless communication interoperability between Public Transport (PT) devices or between PT devices compliant to CEN/TS 16794-1 and NFC mobiles devices compliant to NFC Forum specifications.

This document lists all the test conditions to be performed on a PT reader or a PT object in order to ensure that all the requirements specified in CEN/TS 16794-1 are met for the PT device under test.

This document applies to PT devices only:

• PT readers which are contactless fare management system terminals acting as a PCD contactless reader based on the ISO/IEC 14443 series;

• PT objects which are contactless fare media acting as a PICC contactless object based on the ISO/IEC 14443 series.

This document applies solely to the contactless communication layers described in Parts 1 to 4 of the ISO/IEC 14443 series. Application-to-application exchanges executed once contactless communication has been established at RF level fall outside the scope of this document. However, a test application will be used so as to make end-to-end transactions during tests on the RF communication layer.

This document does not duplicate the contents of the ISO/IEC 14443 series or ISO/IEC 10373-6 standard. It makes reference to the ISO/IEC 10373-6 applicable test methods, specifies the test conditions to be used and describes the additional specific test conditions that may be run.

The list of test conditions applicable to the PT device under test will be conditioned by the Information Conformance Statement (ICS) declaration made by the device manufacturer. For each test case, the test conditions are clearly specified in order to determine the pertinence to run or not the test case in accordance with the device capabilities or in accordance with the device manufacturer’s choice.

In order to facilitate the test report issuance, a test report template is included in Annex A of this document.

Although this document aims at becoming the primary basis for certification of contactless communication protocol applicable to PT readers and PT objects, it does not describe any certification or qualification processes as such processes should be defined between local or global transit industry stakeholders.