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Capturing, processing, interpreting and disseminating real-time traffic information from GPS enabled online mobile devices

Wessels, R. (2008) Capturing, processing, interpreting and disseminating real-time traffic information from GPS enabled online mobile devices.

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Abstract:The availability of having accurate, real-time traffic information is increasingly important in countries which cope with traffic congestion. This information is vital for both road users (for route choice) and road operators (for network management). Currently, route operators mainly use static systems such as loop detectors and video surveillance to monitor the road network. While these have very high accuracy and availability, they are costly (in installation and maintenance) and therefore only installed on a limited part of the highway network. This thesis focuses on a system that can generate traffic information for a larger part of the road network by using vehicle based data, instead of the aforementioned roadside systems. The system uses mobile phones carried by drivers to capture position information. Mobile phones with a GPS sensor and wireless internet connection are becoming mainstream in modern day telecommunication and therefore provide a perfect platform to acquire the data required for accurate, real-time traffic information. In the scope of this thesis an end-to-end prototype of such a traffic information system was developed. It enables car drivers to send their position, speed and bearing data to a central server which processes and interprets this data to provide network flow and congestion information. This information is then disseminated to a mobile device or to a web-based viewer. Furthermore, to calibrate and validate the prototype, a simulation package was developed that simulates multiple vehicles and drivers carrying a mobile phone with GPS and wireless connection travelling over the road network. Real life tests were conducted to confirm the correct operation of the prototype. The prototype proved a very promising tool to generate traffic information on a large scale at low cost. However, it is unable to beat the accuracy of current loop detectors systems as it is very dependent on a large user base. The accompanying simulator has great potential for use in the simulation of future improved versions of such a system but also the simulation of location based systems in general.vThe availability of having accurate, real-time traffic information is increasingly important in countries which cope with traffic congestion. This information is vital for both road users (for route choice) and road operators (for network management). Currently, route operators mainly use static systems such as loop detectors and video surveillance to monitor the road network. While these have very high accuracy and availability, they are costly (in installation and maintenance) and therefore only installed on a limited part of the highway network. This thesis focuses on a system that can generate traffic information for a larger part of the road network by using vehicle based data, instead of the aforementioned roadside systems. The system uses mobile phones carried by drivers to capture position information. Mobile phones with a GPS sensor and wireless internet connection are becoming mainstream in modern day telecommunication and therefore provide a perfect platform to acquire the data required for accurate, real-time traffic information. In the scope of this thesis an end-to-end prototype of such a traffic information system was developed. It enables car drivers to send their position, speed and bearing data to a central server which processes and interprets this data to provide network flow and congestion information. This information is then disseminated to a mobile device or to a web-based viewer. Furthermore, to calibrate and validate the prototype, a simulation package was developed that simulates multiple vehicles and drivers carrying a mobile phone with GPS and wireless connection travelling over the road network. Real life tests were conducted to confirm the correct operation of the prototype. The prototype proved a very promising tool to generate traffic information on a large scale at low cost. However, it is unable to beat the accuracy of current loop detectors systems as it is very dependent on a large user base. The accompanying simulator has great potential for use in the simulation of future improved versions of such a system but also the simulation of location based systems in general.The availability of having accurate, real-time traffic information is increasingly important in countries which cope with traffic congestion. This information is vital for both road users (for route choice) and road operators (for network management). Currently, route operators mainly use static systems such as loop detectors and video surveillance to monitor the road network. While these have very high accuracy and availability, they are costly (in installation and maintenance) and therefore only installed on a limited part of the highway network. This thesis focuses on a system that can generate traffic information for a larger part of the road network by using vehicle based data, instead of the aforementioned roadside systems. The system uses mobile phones carried by drivers to capture position information. Mobile phones with a GPS sensor and wireless internet connection are becoming mainstream in modern day telecommunication and therefore provide a perfect platform to acquire the data required for accurate, real-time traffic information. In the scope of this thesis an end-to-end prototype of such a traffic information system was developed. It enables car drivers to send their position, speed and bearing data to a central server which processes and interprets this data to provide network flow and congestion information. This information is then disseminated to a mobile device or to a web-based viewer. Furthermore, to calibrate and validate the prototype, a simulation package was developed that simulates multiple vehicles and drivers carrying a mobile phone with GPS and wireless connection travelling over the road network. Real life tests were conducted to confirm the correct operation of the prototype. The prototype proved a very promising tool to generate traffic information on a large scale at low cost. However, it is unable to beat the accuracy of current loop detectors systems as it is very dependent on a large user base. The accompanying simulator has great potential for use in the simulation of future improved versions of such a system but also the simulation of location based systems in general.vThe availability of having accurate, real-time traffic information is increasingly important in countries which cope with traffic congestion. This information is vital for both road users (for route choice) and road operators (for network management). Currently, route operators mainly use static systems such as loop detectors and video surveillance to monitor the road network. While these have very high accuracy and availability, they are costly (in installation and maintenance) and therefore only installed on a limited part of the highway network. This thesis focuses on a system that can generate traffic information for a larger part of the road network by using vehicle based data, instead of the aforementioned roadside systems. The system uses mobile phones carried by drivers to capture position information. Mobile phones with a GPS sensor and wireless internet connection are becoming mainstream in modern day telecommunication and therefore provide a perfect platform to acquire the data required for accurate, real-time traffic information. In the scope of this thesis an end-to-end prototype of such a traffic information system was developed. It enables car drivers to send their position, speed and bearing data to a central server which processes and interprets this data to provide network flow and congestion information. This information is then disseminated to a mobile device or to a web-based viewer. Furthermore, to calibrate and validate the prototype, a simulation package was developed that simulates multiple vehicles and drivers carrying a mobile phone with GPS and wireless connection travelling over the road network. Real life tests were conducted to confirm the correct operation of the prototype. The prototype proved a very promising tool to generate traffic information on a large scale at low cost. However, it is unable to beat the accuracy of current loop detectors systems as it is very dependent on a large user base. The accompanying simulator has great potential for use in the simulation of future improved versions of such a system but also the simulation of location based systems in general.The availability of having accurate, real-time traffic information is increasingly important in countries which cope with traffic congestion. This information is vital for both road users (for route choice) and road operators (for network management). Currently, route operators mainly use static systems such as loop detectors and video surveillance to monitor the road network. While these have very high accuracy and availability, they are costly (in installation and maintenance) and therefore only installed on a limited part of the highway network. This thesis focuses on a system that can generate traffic information for a larger part of the road network by using vehicle based data, instead of the aforementioned roadside systems. The system uses mobile phones carried by drivers to capture position information. Mobile phones with a GPS sensor and wireless internet connection are becoming mainstream in modern day telecommunication and therefore provide a perfect platform to acquire the data required for accurate, real-time traffic information. In the scope of this thesis an end-to-end prototype of such a traffic information system was developed. It enables car drivers to send their position, speed and bearing data to a central server which processes and interprets this data to provide network flow and congestion information. This information is then disseminated to a mobile device or to a web-based viewer. Furthermore, to calibrate and validate the prototype, a simulation package was developed that simulates multiple vehicles and drivers carrying a mobile phone with GPS and wireless connection travelling over the road network. Real life tests were conducted to confirm the correct operation of the prototype. The prototype proved a very promising tool to generate traffic information on a large scale at low cost. However, it is unable to beat the accuracy of current loop detectors systems as it is very dependent on a large user base. The accompanying simulator has great potential for use in the simulation of future improved versions of such a system but also the simulation of location based systems in general.vThe availability of having accurate, real-time traffic information is increasingly important in countries which cope with traffic congestion. This information is vital for both road users (for route choice) and road operators (for network management). Currently, route operators mainly use static systems such as loop detectors and video surveillance to monitor the road network. While these have very high accuracy and availability, they are costly (in installation and maintenance) and therefore only installed on a limited part of the highway network. This thesis focuses on a system that can generate traffic information for a larger part of the road network by using vehicle based data, instead of the aforementioned roadside systems. The system uses mobile phones carried by drivers to capture position information. Mobile phones with a GPS sensor and wireless internet connection are becoming mainstream in modern day telecommunication and therefore provide a perfect platform to acquire the data required for accurate, real-time traffic information. In the scope of this thesis an end-to-end prototype of such a traffic information system was developed. It enables car drivers to send their position, speed and bearing data to a central server which processes and interprets this data to provide network flow and congestion information. This information is then disseminated to a mobile device or to a web-based viewer. Furthermore, to calibrate and validate the prototype, a simulation package was developed that simulates multiple vehicles and drivers carrying a mobile phone with GPS and wireless connection travelling over the road network. Real life tests were conducted to confirm the correct operation of the prototype. The prototype proved a very promising tool to generate traffic information on a large scale at low cost. However, it is unable to beat the accuracy of current loop detectors systems as it is very dependent on a large user base. The accompanying simulator has great potential for use in the simulation of future improved versions of such a system but also the simulation of location based systems in general.vThe availability of having accurate, real-time traffic information is increasingly important in countries which cope with traffic congestion. This information is vital for both road users (for route choice) and road operators (for network management). Currently, route operators mainly use static systems such as loop detectors and video surveillance to monitor the road network. While these have very high accuracy and availability, they are costly (in installation and maintenance) and therefore only installed on a limited part of the highway network. This thesis focuses on a system that can generate traffic information for a larger part of the road network by using vehicle based data, instead of the aforementioned roadside systems. The system uses mobile phones carried by drivers to capture position information. Mobile phones with a GPS sensor and wireless internet connection are becoming mainstream in modern day telecommunication and therefore provide a perfect platform to acquire the data required for accurate, real-time traffic information. In the scope of this thesis an end-to-end prototype of such a traffic information system was developed. It enables car drivers to send their position, speed and bearing data to a central server which processes and interprets this data to provide network flow and congestion information. This information is then disseminated to a mobile device or to a web-based viewer. Furthermore, to calibrate and validate the prototype, a simulation package was developed that simulates multiple vehicles and drivers carrying a mobile phone with GPS and wireless connection travelling over the road network. Real life tests were conducted to confirm the correct operation of the prototype. The prototype proved a very promising tool to generate traffic information on a large scale at low cost. However, it is unable to beat the accuracy of current loop detectors systems as it is very dependent on a large user base. The accompanying simulator has great potential for use in the simulation of future improved versions of such a system but also the simulation of location based systems in general.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:ET: Engineering Technology
Subject:56 civil engineering
Programme:Civil Engineering BSc (56952)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/69460
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