Real-time Traffic Information For Connected Drivers

Connected vehicles and infrastructure can produce and share real-time traffic and environment information, which, when processed and delivered to drivers, will improve mobility efficiency, lead to fewer traffic accidents and reduce road congestion, fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions and driver frustration.

The CVIS technologies and applications developed over the last years are now moving out of the laboratory and onto the road. At its first European test site to go live, CVIS is showing real-life applications using 5.9 GHz wireless LAN and cellular 3G communication media.

The first demonstration will show how specific types of vehicles such as emergency vehicles, public transport vehicles or trucks with dangerous goods can actively communicate with roadside equipment such as traffic lights. An emergency vehicle informs a traffic light of its approach, is identified and is given green priority, while other road users are warned against potential collisions.

A second application will demonstrate how drivers receive recommendations on the best route to their destination as well as predicted travel time for alternative routes. The journey time estimation takes into consideration the detailed traffic signal plan rather than average traffic flows. Vehicle-infrastructure communication also allows traffic signals to be synchronised with vehicles, sending to drivers a recommended speed to pass through the next traffic lights during the green phase, leading to significant fuel savings.

Another demonstration features enhanced (sub-1 metre) positioning, digital maps and location referencing, able to help a driver stay in lane by use of driver assistance systems such as lane departure warning.  

Also demonstrated is a safety application where a vehicle broadcasts a hazard warning when its driver is detected to enter a one-way road in the wrong direction. Roadside and on-board equipment will immediately inform all vehicles in the vicinity, while the traffic centre will send radio warnings and use variable message signs to warn vehicles of the approaching “ghost-driver”. 

CVIS also includes a number of innovative cooperative applications for commercial freight and fleet vehicles. In this demonstration a fleet operator or goods delivery vehicle can request a reservation of a parking space (e.g. at a motorway service area) or a roadside delivery location and time slot. A central booking system processes the reservation and sends a confirmation to the vehicle. If needed, due to e.g. traffic delays, the vehicle will update the centre of its progress and will receive an updated booking.

In the city, truck drivers need to be informed when approaching a zone where access is restricted (e.g. truck-free zone, weight limit, time-specific access bans…). A CVIS application provides appropriate driving recommendations to the driver when approaching the area and allows the vehicle to negotiate favourable treatment through the traffic control system in return for making the journey at the optimum time for the road network operator.

As well as preparing the technologies and applications for demonstrations during 2010, the CVIS consortium has also been taking first steps to prepare the way for deployment. At this stage the pathway to rolling out products is still unclear, as is the business model for successful services. CVIS is also addressing potential deployment barriers such as technical, service and information content interoperability, data security and privacy, product and service liability, government policy and user acceptability.

“The deployment of cooperative mobility technologies holds the promise of many new benefits, but we also need to ensure that potential privacy issues are seriously considered and public acceptance ensured before these new technologies will come into the market”, says ERTICO’s Paul Kompfner, CVIS Project Manager.

The universal platform developed by the CVIS project connects vehicles and roadside systems continuously and seamlessly using a wide range of communication media, including mobile cellular and wireless local area networks, short-range microwave or infrared. The public demonstration of the CVIS platform is a major step towards mature vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication and services.

Presented May 12 to potential users beyond the CVIS consortium, this platform will be available for any current or future project needing a development prototype readily adaptable for both vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and/or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) applications.