Automatic vehicle identification (AVI) systems are becoming increasingly popular. Example applications include electronic toll collection and automatic vehicle location. AVI data is viewed as a potential source of traffic surveillance for emerging Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS). AVI systems can relay information about conditions of the traffic stream in real-time. Recent reports on the effectiveness of several AVI systems for incident detection have been very encouraging. This is particularly important as incidents cause over 65% of the total traffic congestion in urban areas. It is possible that through the use of AVI equipment, a vehicle probe system may prove to be more cost effective than other types of surveillance systems in collecting information to support ATMS projects
This project examined the percentage of probe vehicles required to provide data which are representative of general roadway conditions. As part of the investigation, a detailed benefit/cost analysis was conducted to evaluate the cost effectiveness of this approach relative to alternative surveillance systems.
The objective of this project was to devise a new more cost-effective way to perform freeway and arterial surveillance including lane occupancies, route speeds and possibly incident detection by using traffic probes. Specific goals of the project were to determine the minimum sample size of vehicle probes necessary for reliable traffic data and to evaluate the cost effectiveness of this approach.
It is important to note that this project did not seek to develop or evaluate AVI systems.
Project Duration: 1995-1996