In urban centres, a traffic management system will assume responsibility for an overall traffic guidance system in which public transport, the emergency services, fleets of taxis and other important traffic functions are integrated. The available public transport and commercial and private traffic capacities will be managed, for instance, from the point of view of air pollution and with regard to some important functions of a city, including that of being a place people care to live in. In the Federal Republic of Germany, a guidance and information system was developed which is based upon communication between the roadside and individual vehicles by means of infra-red transmission. A comprehensive field comprehensive field trial, designated LISB, is being conducted in Berlin. Via beacons positioned at road junctions, vehicles receive information which enables them to choose best routes for themselves without having to reveal their individual destination or route to the system. In return, they anonymously supply on-line journey times between the junction fitted with beacons to the system control centre. From this, information which is important for the whole system of on-line guidance in the city can be obtained. The results of the field trial are expected to be available by 1991. LISB is being installed in modified form in London under the designation AUTOGUIDE. A European industrial standard has been developed for the infra-red transmission interfaces.
Abstract