Providing traffic and traveller information in an easy to access manner for users is a critical task in order to promote the use of ITS. i-mode, Internet access service with the mobile phone, is now in the spotlight in Japan as the tool that can handle such information easily. The i-mode service was launched in February of 1999 and it has already attracted over eight million subscribers. It uses a unique business model, where charges for information are collected and billed alongside ordinary mobile phone charges. As more subscribers are added to the service more and more content providers wish to supply better and better content on the i-mode platform. This has created a positive feedback cycle that should continue to benefit users and information providers. This paper introduces typical examples of i-mode content used for traffic and traveller information and describes i-mode's integration with a car navigation system.
Samenvatting