LISB route guidance and information system: first results of the field trial

The Berlin field trial of a beacon-supported route guidance system started at the end of June 1989. System performance, acceptance by drivers, and benefits for users and the community from this new technology are investigated in a one-year test. 250 out of 1200 intersections with traffic lights and 10 locations on the freeway have been equipped with infrared beacons for communication with 700 specially equipped vehicles. LISB is based on a strategy that processes guidance information in a central computer system. Communication between in-vehicle units and roadside beacons allows for a continuous updating of traffic and route guidance information. An information system considering actual traffic conditions offers benefits to the drivers, even if they know their routes but do not know which of the alternatives is the quickest. Using two-way monologs for data exchange (instead of a dialog system) satisfies the strict German regulations on protection of personal data. Future applications of LISB are considered.>