Towards area-wide traffic monitoring-applications derived from probe vehicle data

Abstract

Comprehensive, up-to-date traffic monitoring is the basis for mobility information and traffic management systems. However, conventional stationary traffic data measurements are hardly able to provide the necessary data for an area-wide monitoring and cannot deliver enough information for many traffic related services. Therefore an al-ternative approach using positioning data of commercial vehicle fleets for traffic monitoring issues has been established. This paper surveys differnt prototype applications based on this probe vehicle data. Continuous monitoring and information of traffic situation via the World Wide Web accomplished by jam detection and highlighting is the basic service. Further on, vehicle route guidance systems using current and historic data achieve superior performance. Such guidance systems have been tested as modules for dynamic navigation and fleet disposition system. Finally a method to derive digital road maps and street characteristics from positioning data is presented.