Research Foundation to Support Cooperative Infrastructure/Vehicle Surface Transportation Control/Management

针对CMS 0510404，当前的交通研究环境使用对地面交通系统的单个组件的复杂建模来提高整个系统的性能。例如，路线指导模型允许调查向司机提供信息的好处(对个人车辆和系统)，而信号优化程序在给定交通数据的情况下确定接近最佳的信号配时。传统上，这种将模型分解为车辆和基础设施领域的做法是适当的，因为这两个系统之间几乎没有动态交互。例如，信号控制系统目前根据历史数据确定信号定时，或者在最好的情况下，结合由来自回路检测器或其他固定传感器的数据驱动的动态控制。然而，没有直接从车辆获得的近乎实时的信息，如速度、以前的位置、车辆起点和目的地以及驾驶员的偏好。车辆路线引导系统还使用历史和接近实时的交通数据来帮助司机选择路线，但通常不会明确考虑附近信号的相位。鉴于目前对与车辆-车辆和车辆-基础设施通信相关的技术问题的调查(称为车辆-基础设施一体化--七)，有必要认真研究如何利用这种基础设施来改善地面运输。该项目既建议开发能够捕获这种网络的建模工具，也建议开发有益的集成方法。因此，调查人员和他的同事们探索的基本问题是：1)应该提供什么信息？2)应该由谁接收信息？3)应该在什么时候提供信息？4)信息将如何使用？汽车是美国占主导地位的地面交通方式。为实现这种出行方式而开发的地面交通系统由两个组成部分组成：(1)乘坐汽车的个人旅行者(称为车辆)，以及(2)道路/交通控制网络(称为基础设施)。到目前为止，这些组件是以独立的方式“管理”的。司机在对整个网络状态知之甚少的情况下做出决定，基础设施运营商根据在有限地点收集的车辆计数数据做出关于网络控制的决定(主要通过信号系统)。各组成部分之间缺乏“合作”的主要原因是缺乏负担得起的信息技术，使各组成部分能够轻松地共享数据并作出集体决策，从而使整个系统受益。这种合作的实际好处包括路线指导，帮助司机将闯红灯的时间降至最低。它还包括交通信号系统，可以感知并快速做出反应，以减少车辆停车和延误。随着广域无线网络商业化，以及车载计算机系统变得负担得起和普及，信息技术很快就可以用来从根本上重新思考地面交通基础设施的运营方式。由于他们的任务和经济利益，汽车行业专注于研究和开发，以改进系统中的汽车组件-而很少考虑基础设施。同样，交通机构专注于改善基础设施的研究--很少考虑车辆部件。因此，目前还不存在允许行业和公共官员最好地指导这一新系统的科学基础。研究人员正在开发先进信息技术使综合/协作地面运输系统控制和管理成为可能的科学和模型库。这将允许对信息技术和交通基础设施的整合进行调查，这是美国交通系统演变的关键一步。

ABSTRACT for CMS 0510404The current transportation research environment uses sophisticated modeling of individual components of the surface transportation system to improve performance of the overall system. For example, route guidance models allow for the investigation of benefits (to the individual vehicle and the system) of information provision to drivers, while signal optimization programs determine near-optimal signal timing given traffic data. Traditionally, this breakdown of models into the vehicle and infrastructure domains has been appropriate in that there has been little or no dynamic interaction between the two systems. Signal control systems, for example, currently determine signal timing based on historical data or, in the best case, incorporate dynamic control that is driven by data from loop detectors or other fixed sensors. There is, however, no near real-time information available directly from the vehicles, such as speed, previous locations, vehicle origin and destination, and driver preferences. Vehicle route guidance systems also use historical and near real-time traffic data to assist drivers in route selection but typically do not explicitly consider the phasing of nearby signals. Given the current investigation of technical issues associated with vehicle-vehicle and vehicle-infrastructure communication (referred to as vehicle-infrastructure integration - VII), there is a need to critically examine how such an infrastructure could be used to improve surface transportation. This project proposes both development of modeling tools capable of capturing such networking and development of methods for beneficial integration. The fundamental basic questions that the investigator and his colleagues explore are, therefore, 1) What information should be provided?, 2) Who should receive information?, 3) When should the information be provided?, and 4) How will the information be used?The automobile is the dominant mode of surface transportation in the United States. The surface transportation system that has developed to enable this mode of travel is made up of two components: (1) individual travelers in their automobiles (referred to as vehicles), and (2) the roadway/traffic control network (referred to as infrastructure). To date, these components are "managed" in an independent manner. Drivers make decisions with very little knowledge of the entire networks status, and infrastructure operators make decisions regarding network control (primarily through signal systems) based on vehicle count data collected at limited locations. This lack of "cooperation" between the components has evolved primarily due to the lack of affordable information technology that would allow the components to easily share data and make collective decisions that would benefit the entire system. Practical benefits of such cooperation include route guidance which assists drivers in minimizing time spent at red lights. It also includes traffic signal systems which can sense and respond quickly to reduce vehicle stops and delays. As wide-area wireless networks become commercially available, and in-vehicle computer systems become affordable and pervasive, the information technology will soon be available to radically rethink how the surface transportation infrastructure should be operated. Because of their mandate and economic interests, the vehicle industry concentrates on research and development to improve the vehicle component of the system - with little consideration of the infrastructure. Similarly, transportation agencies concentrate on research to improve the infrastructure - with little consideration of the vehicle component. Thus, the science base currently does not exist to allow industry and public officials to best direct this new system. The investigators are developing the science and model base for integrated/cooperative surface transportation system control and management made possible by advanced information technology. This will allow for the investigation of the integration of information technology and the transportation infrastructure, a critical step in the evolution of the US transportation system.