In the United States there has been a shift in ITS-related activities surrounding the Field Operational Tests (FOTs) and Model Deployment Initiatives (MDIs) that are exploring and evaluating Advanced Travel Information Systems (ATIS) and Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS). The original concept was to provide traffic incident and condition reporting from a central location and to communicate this information to consumers via various media. This concept has proved to be successful and information is being augmented with additional information services delivered via devices like navigation systems and personal data assistants. In order for these FOTs and MDIs to deliver different types of travel-related data to consumers, a navigable map database is needed that can help transform traffic congestion, incidents, and general travel information into a coherent and usable picture of the state of the transportation system, including currently optimal routes and travel times. This paper describes the role of a navigable map database in meeting the data requirements of ITS test deployment sites.
Abstract