Intelligent traffic guidance systems
The constant rise in traffic levels and increasing urbanization in Germany and Europe is
pushing infrastructure beyond its limits. The result: long delays caused by traffic jams,
inefficient use of working time and higher fuel consumption. Traffic control, data
collection and forecasts based on intelligent traffic management systems offer potential
here.
The main challenge is to develop navigation solutions which, unlike existing systems
based on navigation for private cars, offer individually customized navigation for
diverse industries and users. Traffic control options to make better use of capacity
could involve separating freight traffic from private transport or offering route
recommendations adapted to the relevant situation. In such a scenario, these route
calculations should not only include major highways but also more minor roads. Static
features such as environmental zones and preferred routes for trucks, as well as
dynamic information like congestion reports and road closures should be factored in.
On many traffic arteries, jams can be avoided not only by taking an alternative route,
but also by travelling at a different time of day. Route planning should in future be
harmonized with the daily rhythm of traffic flows and take advantage of periods when
traffic levels are lower. This would make traffic volumes more homogeneous
throughout the day, reducing or avoiding congestion. It would also enable arrival time
to be predicted more precisely and thus provide more efficient route scheduling.
Equipping sections of the highway with telematics systems would bring an additional
benefit in the medium term: better use of parking space. Information on parking
availability could be displayed directly on navigational devices in the vehicle rather than
on highway signs.64
Developments and ideas in rail freight parallel those seen in road freight transportation
and extend to a common European Rail Traffic Management System. In rail freight, the