Quality of information given by advanced traveler information systems

A number of studies have evaluated the services provided by Advanced Traveler Information Systems [ATIS] under the assumption that information supplied to drivers would be, in some sense, perfect. However, lack of sufficiently useful data and system design constraints can lead to information that is less than useful to the ATIS user. This paper examines the effects of such imperfection through a simulation-based model that was applied over a part of a large metropolitan area. The model has four basic compoments: (i) an ATIS structure (that specifies the information-gathering, processing and disseminating aspects of the system); (ii) traveler behavior; (iii) network characteristics; and (iv) vehicle movement logic. Using a ‘yoked driver’ concept, a number of different route guidance strategies are examined. The results indicate that some strategies that would appear to be the desirable are not so. Conversely, under high-congestion situations, strategies can be constructed that come close to ‘rectifying’ completely the effects of information imperfection. Overall the paper reiterates the potential of ATIS if information-giving strategies are designed carefully.