Real-time traffic information
Description
"Real-time Traffic and Travel Information" includes all information which is relevant to organize and to optimize traffic flow and which can give advice to the mobile user, usually the driver, and to contribute to road safety and efficiency. The eSafety goal is to provide the majority of drivers with actual intra-urban traffic information and to get adequate urban traffic information in 50% of all major metropolitan areas in the EU.
RTTI contains
the collection of relevant traffic data,
the interpretation of that information and prepare it for further use and distribution,
the application of that information to operate infrastructural installations such as traffic lights or moving traffic signals,
the wireless transmission of the RTTI to the mobile user by public or private broadcast and/or two-way systems such as GSM, GPRS, UMTS, WLAN, Satellite transmission.
Impacts
No reliable safety estimates yet exist despite the long-time availability and use of the systems. Real-time traffic information about problems and hazards on the road network to drivers before and during the trip to in-vehicle receivers enable the drivers either to avoid the problem by e.g. changing their route or to be better prepared for the problem by increasing their awareness and alertness. The system should affect especially accidents in adverse conditions and pile-ups. Effects on fatalities and injuries are currently estimated as lower than 10%. The positive effects on congestion, transport network efficiency and driver comfort are considerable.
Studies
| Total travel time was reduced by approximately 20 % for vehicles equipped with 3M-VICS, 10 % for FM-VICS vehicles and less than 10 % for vehicles with no VICS units. (3M-VICS is a VICS system with ability to communicate with roadside infrared beacons and FM-VICS is a VICS system that receives information via FM broadcasts.) |
Simulation models |
Nakamura, T., Inobe, T. |
2007 |
Social benefit produced by provision of VICS information. Proceedings of the 14th World Congress on ITS, 9-13 October 2007, Beijing, Peoples' Republic of China. |
| Real-time information on slipperiness and other road weather related problems has been estimated to reduce the risk of injury accidents in adverse conditions by 8 % on main roads and 5 % on minor roads in Nordic conditions. |
Literature study and expert interviews were the methods of the study. Literature study contained a number of roadside pilot system evaluations. |
Rämä, P., Kummala, J., Schirokoff, A. & Hiljanen, H. |
2003 |
Road traffic information. Preliminary study. Ministry of Transport and Communications Finland. FITS Publications 21/2003. |
| 45 % of drivers with an RDS-TMC receiver had changed route due to on-trip RDS-TMC messages at least once. On the basis of information received before the trip, 23 % of the drivers had changed their plans. |
To assess the user and behavioural attitudes to RDS TMC (reaction to messages) interviews were conducted. |
Tarry, S. & Pyne, M. |
2003 |
UK - TMC Service evaluation 1998-2001. The European Commission, Directorate General Energy and Transport, TEMPO Programme. |
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