Rapid motorization of the Manila metropolitan area is aggravating traffic problems. There is a mounting need to look for low cost intelligent transportation services (ITS) applications which can alleviate these problems using the existing infrastructure. Japan has already achieved success in reducing traffic problems by using the next generation road, known as SMARTWAY. SMARTWAY consists of a unified platform where the road and vehicle operate harmoniously and different types of ITS services are integrated by applying active dedicated short range communications (DSRC) technology. The present investigation was carried out using a probe-car to assess the present traffic conditions and to explore the possibility of using SMARTWAY for an effective solution of traffic problems in countries other than Japan. The present paper reports the findings of the investigation and also introduces SMARTWAY. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E214938.
Abstract