The new technology of Advanced Traveller Information Systems (ATIS) is still in its infancy, but it is now beginning to reach commercial markets. It indicates the rapid convergence between the automotive and communications industries. Cellular telephones, pagers, public address systems (PDAs), Internet web servers, and satellite Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are among the many personal communication and productivity tools which can be made vehicle-friendly by integration with existing electronic systems in vehicles. This innovative integration includes functions such as traffic control, location, personal computing, entertainment, safety, and vehicle engine control; it uses concepts like the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Data Bus (IDB) architecture. Telematics systems use radio communication to and from a vehicle to provide services to its driver and passengers, and offers cost-effective solutions with enhanced features. The IDB is at the heart of integration systems, and the IDB Committee of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) aims to have a proposed standard for review and approval by the end of 1997. The price of car navigation systems, with full language recognition, and IDB and Internet connectivity, could quickly fall to about US$550.
Samenvatting