EVALUATION OF VEHICLE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM (VICS) REAL-TIME TRAFFIC INFORMATION SERVICE AFTER INITIAL MARKET ENTRY

Vehicle Information and Communication System (VICS) started full service operation in the metropolitan area and some major expressways on April 23, 1996. At the same time, Toyota Motor Corporation introduced an on-board system compatible with all three types of VICS media. Toyota personnel used this system to evaluate the practical usefulness of VICS. This paper focuses on the core of VICS real-time information, its value, and ways to improve its functions. As far as drivers are concerned, real time hinges on 1) how quickly information gets from its source to the broadcast point, 2) how frequently the driver accesses the information transmitter, 3) how dependably the on-board receiver works. With these in mind, and considering the idiosyncracies of each VICS medium, the timeliness of VICS must be evaluated. In particular, the authors will show how frequently drivers access the various VICS media, and what kind of on-board equipment is necessary to make the most of the services VICS offers. From this point of view, they can say that all VICS media provide more useful information than any conventional broadcast media. Monitors experiencing VICS for the first time had specific comments. The felt VICS enabled them to understand the overall traffic situation very clearly. At the same time, they had concrete ideas about what form the information should take when relayed to drivers - although no particular form seemed to be heavily favored. Initially, VICS satisfied the expectations of the monitors by providing information that allowed them to grasp the entire traffic situation. But before the real-time aspect could be addressed, the monitors were confused by the presentation of the information. This additional variable made objective evaluation very difficult. In other words, before the real-time aspect of VICS information can be truly effective, one must consider how to provide drivers with everyday traffic information in a clear, concise manner. What drivers need most, however, is information on changes in the traffic situation, especially if those changes directly affect their planned route. So the timeliness must be improved by comparing information with the actual conditions, and adding it to the forecasting capabilities of car navigation systems.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Full conference proceedings available only on CD.
• Corporate Authors:

  ITS America

  1100 17th Street, NW, 12th Floor
  Washington, DC  United States  20036
• Authors:
  • Morita, H
  • Nojima, A
• Conference:
  • Intelligent Transportation: Realizing the Future. Abstracts of the Third World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems
  • Location: Orlando, Florida
  • Date: 1996-10-14 to 1996-10-18
• Publication Date: 1996

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: n.p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Communication systems; Driver information systems; Evaluation; Onboard navigational aids; Real time control; Vehicles
• Identifier Terms: VICS (Program : Japan)
• Old TRIS Terms: On board; Real-time systems
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Vehicles and Equipment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00741772
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 27 1997 12:00AM