This paper presents an Automated Highway System (AHS) health-monitoring vehicle, known as the Infrastructure Diagnostic Vehicle (IDV). The paper also presents a vital AHS maintenance vehicle, known as the Obstacle Removal Vehicle (ORV). The IDV diagnoses the discrete magnetic marker lateral reference system, checking for missing or degraded markers, as well as for incorrect polarity for information coding. The IDV also performs rudimentary testing of vehicle-to-roadside communications systems. The ORV provides rapid response to remove debris from the roadway in a safe and efficient manner. These two systems, combined with the capabilities of an advanced Transportation Management Centre (TMC), comprise the maintenance scenario for the live-vehicle demonstration at the National Automated Highway System Consortium (NAHSC) 1997 proof-of-technical-feasibility demonstration held in San Diego, California. These systems represent the beginning of a new branch of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) known as Advanced Construction and Maintenance Systems (ACMS).
Samenvatting