THE GRAND DRAW: 500,000 VEHICLES

Information sent by a floating car data (FCD) unit may include data on weather conditions, traffic volume, obstacles, and roadblocks, together with a car's present location and speed. A central computer collects data from units, then transforms it into traffic information that others can use. FCD is seen as one way to improve traffic information, whose current quality is poor. It is not realistic to expect this task to be done by a large number of fixed sensors, as they are not versatile enough. The car industry can already deliver cars that are equipped with in-vehicle telematics and are thus enabled for FCD. To acquire enough FCD data to ensure high-quality traffic information, enough users must be persuaded to buy an FCD unit. For example, about 500,000 vehicles would be needed in The Netherlands. A very strong incentive is needed to attract so many drivers, and their distribution needs to correspond to that of traffic flows throughout the country. This could be done by a National Traffic Lottery, where an FCD unit for a car would be the lottery ticket. A driver would be entered for the lottery once for every 1000 data transfers provided by his car, and there would be a daily Euro 1000 prize for active traffic data providers. The necessary technology could be implemented as a mobile Internet system.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/32663949
• Corporate Authors:

  Cap Gemini

  ,    

  PB Farradyne

  444 South Flower Street, Suite 3700
  Los Angeles, CA  United States  90071

  iMPath Networks

  ,    

  Georgia Department of Transportation

  One Georgia Center
  600 West Peachtree Street, NW
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30308

  Pantech

  ,    

  System Innovations, Incorporated

  1551 Forbes Street
  Fredericksburg, VA  United States  22405
• Authors:
  • HOOGEBOOM, M
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 66-9
• Serial:
  • Traffic Technology International
  • Publisher: AutoIntermediates Limited
  • ISSN: 1356-9252
  • Serial URL: http://www.ukipme.com/mag_traffic.htm

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Data communications; Driver information systems; Equipment; Hazards; Improvements; Incentives; Location; Marketing; Obstructions (Navigation); Speed; Traffic congestion; Traffic flow; Travelers; Vehicle compartments; Vehicle interiors; Weather
• Geographic Terms: Netherlands
• ITRD Terms: 1243: Car; 632: Congestion (traffic); 8652: Data transmission (telecom); 8763: Driver information; 3674: Equipment; 9108: Improvement; 1377: Interior (veh); 9061: Location; 277: Marketing; 8078: Netherlands; 1644: Obstacle; 1578: Reward (incentive); 1755: Road user; 5408: Speed; 671: Traffic flow; 2545: Weather
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Design; Operations and Traffic Management; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00782751
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 7 2000 12:00AM