Shockwave Damping is a Cooperative Intelligent Transport System (C-ITS) service that mainly aims to smoothen traffic flow in dense traffic conditions by giving optimal speed recommendations and displaying these in a vehicle via Human Machine Interface (HMI). In this way, an optimal usage of the capacity of the roads should be reached.

Little impacts in dense traffic can already occur shockwaves, which spreads and lead to long-term disruption of the traffic flow. This will be encouraged by less proactive way of driving and acceleration, which can lead to new shockwaves or a standstill. The objective of this service is to contribute or to reduce the harmonisation of traffic flows and to prevent the formation of shockwaves or its development.

The ITS Roadside Station (IRS), which are distributed in the whole motorway network, transmit the vehicle messages to the ITS Central Station (ICS), where they are evaluated. Based on these information, the traffic situation will be analysed. Thus, the formation and spreading of traffic jams (shockwaves) can be identified and the IRS can inform road users by sending appropriate messages.