The concept of what is meant by a traffic sign is changing, driven by advances in traffic technology under the rubric of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). The traffic sign of the future will not necessarily be a static or dynamic road sign attached to a vertical pole outside the vehicle. It may be located inside the vehicle and may take the form of a text or graphic image on a flat-panel display or HUD, a computer-generated word, or a vibration felt through the vehicle accelerator pedal. Alternatively, it may take the form of a remote, portable display implemented on a mobile telephone or other communication device. For the driver, the distinction between traffic information presented outside the vehicle and that presented inside it will become increasingly blurred. These changes will make it possible to present information flexibly in a manner that facilitates information transfer, reduced road infrastructure costs, and supports the safety and mobility needs of particular driving subgroups such as the young and elderly. Unless the various methods for designing and presenting traffic information inside and outside the vehicle are carefully researched and implemented, however, the potential benefits to be derived from these emerging ITS technologies might be outweighed by their potential overload, distract, and confuse the driver. Determining who is ultimately responsible for managing the evolution of the sign of the future is probably the most significant issue to be resolved in the short term.
Abstract