|
|
|
Title: OUTSMARTING THE DRIVER
Accession Number: 00486199
Record Type: Component
Digital Copy: Availability: Find a library where document is available Abstract: The introduction of advanced vehicle and highway, or "smart," technology promises to eliminate bottlenecks and gridlock, increase safety, and reduce pollution. A smart vehicle and highway system could become a reality in the United States as soon as 50 years from now. The main applications of smart technology can be grouped into four categories: advanced traffic management systems, advanced driver information systems, freight and vehicle control operations, and automated vehicle control systems. Examples of smart technology applications include automatic toll billing by bar code scanning of vehicles using electronic sensors; automatic headway control by radar or laser braking; and smoother traffic flow by using synchronized traffic lights that adjust according to signals relayed by sensors embedded in the road. Several applications that are already in place are electronic billboards, which flash variable traffic information to direct vehicles away from bottlenecks and to make traffic more uniform, antilock braking systems, and cruise control. Questions of liability, operational responsiility, and funding need to be resolved before serious strides can be taken. Benefits include reduced traffic congestion, reduced air pollution, increased safety, and fewer accidents. The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is contributing to the study of smart technology through its NCHRP Assessment of Advanced Technologies for Relieving Urban Traffic Congestion project and a TRB Special Projects Division long-term study by a committee representing a cross section of the private and public sectors. Other major projects in the United States are outlined in an insert with this article.
Corporate Authors: Transportation Research Board 500 Fifth Street, NW Pagination: p. 19-20
Publication Date: 1989-7
Serial: TRT Terms: Uncontrolled Terms: Old TRIS Terms: Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Research; Vehicles and Equipment; I73: Traffic Control; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety
Files: TRIS, TRB
Created Date: Aug 31 1989 12:00AM
More Articles from this Serial Issue:
|
