Current developments in the use of high technology in highway and traffic engineering and the use of high technology by state transportation agencies.

In recent years, the application of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) has steadily expanded, and has become a hot spot of common interest to universities, scientific research institutes, enterprises and institutions in the transportation field. ITS is the product of the deep integration of modern high-tech in the transportation industry, and its development has accompanied that of modern high-tech. ITS is now also becoming part of the Internet of Things (IoT), and is expected to contribute significantly to making our cities smarter and connecting with other infrastructure. Although there are many monographs and textbooks on intelligent transportation, with the advancement of technology and changes in demand, the key technologies of ITS are also rapidly changing. This book chiefly focuses on the main technologies of ITS, examining them from four perspectives: “sense” (perception and management of traffic information, chapters 2 & 3), “transmission” (interaction of traffic information, chapter 4), “prediction” (prediction of traffic states, chapter 6) and “application” (intelligent transportation applications, chapters 6 through 10). Given its scope, the book can be used as a textbook for undergraduates or graduates, as well as a reference book for research institutes and enterprises. This book emphasizes the use of basis traffic engineering principles and state-of-art methodologies to develop functional designs. It largely reflects the authors’ own experience in adapting these methodologies to ITS design. For example, the book addresses various forms of data collection, models used to predict and evaluate traffic states, comprehensive description in connected vehicles, applications for users and traffic managers, etc. The knowledge gained here will allow designers to estimate the performance differences among alternatives and gauge their potential benefits for functional design purposes. To gain the most from the book, readers should be somewhat familiar with the field of traffic engineering and interested in ITS.

The Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Program is a cooperative effort by government, private industry, and academia to apply advanced technology to the task of resolving the problems of surface transportation. The objective is to improve travel efficiency and mobility, enhance safety, conserve energy, provide economic benefits, and protect the environment. The current demand for mobility has exceeded the available capacity of the roadway system. Because the highway system cannot be expanded, except in minor ways, the available capacity must be used more efficiently to handle the increased demand. ITS applies advanced information processing, communication, sensing, and computer control technologies to the problems of surface transportation. Considerable research and development efforts will be required to produce these new technologies and to convert technologies developed in the defense and space programs to solve surface transportation problems. ITS has been subdivided into six interlocking technology areas. This book addresses human factors concerns for four of these areas: * Advanced Traveler Information Systems are a variety of systems that provide real time, in-vehicle information to drivers regarding navigation and route guidance, motorist services, roadway signing, and hazard warnings. * Advanced Vehicle Control Systems refer to systems that aid drivers in controlling their vehicle particularly in emergency situations and ultimately taking over some or all of the driving tasks. * Commercial Vehicle Operations address the application of ITS technologies to the special needs of commercial roadway vehicles including automated vehicle identification, location, weigh-in-motion, clearance sensing, and record keeping. * Advanced Traffic Management Systems monitor, control and manage traffic on streets and highways to reduce congestion using vehicle route diversion, automated signal timing, changeable message signs, and priority control systems. Two technical areas are not specifically addressed in individual chapters, but many aspects of them are covered in associated chapters: * Advanced Rural Transportation Systems include systems that apply ITS technologies to the special needs of rural systems and include emergency notification and response, vehicle location, and traveler information. * Advanced Public Transportation Systems enhance the effectiveness, attractiveness and economics of public transportation and include fleet management, automated fare collection, and real-time information systems.

This session contains the following papers: Status of IVHS operational tests in the United States (Baxter, JR); Evaluation of a motorist information system using computer display terminals (Thompson, BA and Holcombe, TW); TravTek: An advanced traveler information system (Rupert, R); Human factors considerations in the development of an IVHS system - Night vision enhancement (Lunenfeld, H and Stephens, BW); Evaluation of alternative AVI/ETTM configurations at toll barriers (Pietrzyk, MC).

This collection contains 121 technical papers presented at the Seventh International Conference on Applications of Advanced Technology in Transportation, held in Boston, Massachusetts, August 5-7, 2002.