Dissemination

Simplified and brief radio traffic reports have long been the primary way in which the picture of traffic flow is distributed to the public, with only a small percentage of drivers responding in a way that helps to alleviate the stress on the system. As the physical landscape of traffic nears complete instrumentation and digitization, the picture of traffic flow can be easily distributed, and the methods for visualizing the picture can be altered by and for specific end users. Real-time, detailed and complete information on traffic, as it relates to the individual driver’s needs, will soon be available on the web, cell phones, and, eventually, onboard navigation systems, completing the informational feedback loop. The big picture will be integrated with the digits that compose it.

Watch a rendering of a 24-hour timelapse of a drive-time estimation application
[1.5MB - 1280x1024 monitor recommended]