Information access anywhere anytime : myth or opportunity?

The Ford Research Center Aachen is the European corporate research facility of the Ford Motor Company. The telematics research section within this research organisation is an acknowledged partner in a range of Ford Motor Company internal as well as publicly co-funded telematics research projects both in Germany as well as in Europe. Rapid advances in mobile telecommunication allow establishing voice as well as data communication virtually 'anywhere and anytime.' This technical achievement challenges vehicle manufacturers to derive appropriate strategies for allowing access to the available information wealth, while ensuring that the driver is not distracted when performing the driving task. The purpose of this paper is to question the need for universal information access in the automotive environment, while highlighting strategies that allow providing traffic and travel related information to the driver in a structured and as safe as possible manner. These strategies have been developed and evaluated within the framework of the stadtinfokoeln (City Information Cologne) research project. The main objective of stadtinfokoeln is to manage increasing traffic levels in conurbations, while reducing problems created by inner-city traffic. There are significant benefits to be gained for the community and environment: One goal is to achieve a reduction in the level of traffic searching for a parking place, which will reduce congestion, emissions and noise levels, thus leading to a better quality of life in conurbations. The principle aim of the stadtinfokoeln project is to develop a range of novel telematics services in order to ease mobility in conurbations. Services include, for example, inner-city dynamic route guidance, parking information for parking garages as well as roadside parking, electronic payment for parking as well as the opportunity to reserve a specific parking spot. All of these services are available on a range of devices such as vehicle end terminals, the internet, and smart phones/PDAs. For the covering abstract see ITRD E124693.