((a)) ** .—**

((1)) ** .—** In accordance with section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 ( note; ; ), the Secretary shall develop and maintain a national ITS architecture and supporting ITS standards and protocols to promote the use of systems engineering methods in the widespread deployment and evaluation of intelligent transportation systems as a component of the surface transportation systems of the United States.

((2)) ** .—** To the maximum extent practicable, the national ITS architecture and supporting ITS standards and protocols shall promote interoperability among, and efficiency of, intelligent transportation systems and technologies implemented throughout the United States.

((3)) ** .—** In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall support the development and maintenance of standards and protocols using the services of such standards development organizations as the Secretary determines to be necessary and whose memberships include representatives of the surface transportation and intelligent transportation systems industries.

((b)) ** .—** If the Secretary finds that a standard is necessary for implementation of a nationwide policy relating to user fee collection or other capability requiring nationwide uniformity, the Secretary, after consultation with stakeholders, may establish and require the use of that standard.

((c)) ** .—**

((1)) ** .—** If the Secretary finds that the development or balloting of an intelligent transportation system standard jeopardizes the timely achievement of the objectives described in subsection (a), the Secretary may establish a provisional standard, after consultation with affected parties, using, to the maximum extent practicable, the work product of appropriate standards development organizations.

((2)) ** .—** A provisional standard established under paragraph (1) shall be published in the Federal Register and remain in effect until the appropriate standards development organization adopts and publishes a standard.

((d)) ** .—**

((1)) ** In general.—** Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall ensure that intelligent transportation system projects carried out using amounts made available from the Highway Trust Fund, including amounts made available to deploy intelligent transportation systems, conform to the appropriate regional ITS architecture, applicable standards, and protocols developed under subsection (a) or (c).

((2)) ** .—** The Secretary, at the discretion of the Secretary, may offer an exemption from paragraph (1) for projects designed to achieve specific research objectives outlined in the national intelligent transportation system program plan or the surface transportation research and development strategic plan developed under section 508.