Final Report Summary - INTRO (Intelligent roads)
The 'Intelligent roads' (INTRO) project was aimed at demonstrating how safety, capacity, road operation and maintenance problems can be alleviated by the use of existing sensor technology in a harmonised way, to add 'intelligence' to road networks. The unacceptably high number of accidents on European roads together with an increasing public demand for improved road capacity and comfort sets entirely new demands on road infrastructure. The costs of maintaining and developing the capacity of European road networks are ever increasing due to anticipated increases in freight transport demand and increased axle loads and traffic volumes. The INTRO project aims to address the problems of road safety and capacity combining sensing technologies and local databases with real-time networking technologies. This will improve both road safety and capacity by providing rapid feedback of emerging problems to maintenance authorities and road users.
Work package 1 examined possible scenarios for road transport and looked at future needs in Europe for private and commercial transport on road networks. Scenarios try to describe all the possible situations of external and internal factors influence on the 'intelligent road' systems. They also try to give an answer how the systems demonstrated and recommended by the INTRO project can adapt and react to each of the scenarios.
Work package 2 focused on the traffic safety aspects. Low friction road sections cannot be perceived by drivers, thus constituting great danger in everyday road traffic. Therefore, the research in INTRO related to safety focused on friction issues. The use of extended floating car data (xFCD) in combination with static data is one subject that INTRO has tested. Models for topping and braking distances have been developed. The human machine interface (HMI) to inform the driver about low friction sections has been investigated and an interface has been proposed. This was done by tests in the VTI simulator.
Work package 3 was concerned with the applications to support infrastructure management. The efficient operation and maintenance of the road network relies on the availability of accurate and up to date information on road condition. The INTRO project focused on using new sensors, both in situ and moving sensors (probe vehicles) to get new information that can be added to the traditional monitoring schemes. This new information also is of a dynamic nature that can be used for real time warning support. This work package dealt with the use of probe vehicles in urban and rural areas to get information on road condition. Sensors mounted in the pavement to give information on condition was also tested, both in road and bridge situations.
The outcomes of the trials with probe vehicles showed that this concept is probably not well suited for the urban and inner city environments. It is very difficult to separate exceptions in the CAN bus data arising from road defects, from those caused by road junctions, parked cars etc. However, the trial on rural roads showed a better perspective.
Work package 1 examined possible scenarios for road transport and looked at future needs in Europe for private and commercial transport on road networks. Scenarios try to describe all the possible situations of external and internal factors influence on the 'intelligent road' systems. They also try to give an answer how the systems demonstrated and recommended by the INTRO project can adapt and react to each of the scenarios.
Work package 2 focused on the traffic safety aspects. Low friction road sections cannot be perceived by drivers, thus constituting great danger in everyday road traffic. Therefore, the research in INTRO related to safety focused on friction issues. The use of extended floating car data (xFCD) in combination with static data is one subject that INTRO has tested. Models for topping and braking distances have been developed. The human machine interface (HMI) to inform the driver about low friction sections has been investigated and an interface has been proposed. This was done by tests in the VTI simulator.
Work package 3 was concerned with the applications to support infrastructure management. The efficient operation and maintenance of the road network relies on the availability of accurate and up to date information on road condition. The INTRO project focused on using new sensors, both in situ and moving sensors (probe vehicles) to get new information that can be added to the traditional monitoring schemes. This new information also is of a dynamic nature that can be used for real time warning support. This work package dealt with the use of probe vehicles in urban and rural areas to get information on road condition. Sensors mounted in the pavement to give information on condition was also tested, both in road and bridge situations.
The outcomes of the trials with probe vehicles showed that this concept is probably not well suited for the urban and inner city environments. It is very difficult to separate exceptions in the CAN bus data arising from road defects, from those caused by road junctions, parked cars etc. However, the trial on rural roads showed a better perspective.