Open AccessVirtual dynamic message signs: a future mode for basic public traveller information
Author(s) -
Ma Jiaqi,
Zhou Fang
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
iet intelligent transport systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.579
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1751-9578
pISSN - 1751-956X
DOI - 10.1049/iet-its.2015.0059
Subject(s) - computer science , mode (computer interface) , human–computer interaction , computer security , public transport , internet privacy , world wide web , engineering , transport engineering
The most common mode for en‐route public traveller information is dynamic message signs (DMSs). Despite their effectiveness, they are costly and limited in the amount of information they can deliver. The wide availability of smart mobile devices and communication technologies offers possibilities to provide traveller information not only through in‐vehicle devices without incurring huge infrastructure costs, but also in a more flexible manner to selected individuals and at specific locations without geographical constraints. This study proposed the concept of virtual DMSs (VDMSs) to improve public traveller information provision. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of such systems, the study first prototyped a smartphone‐based VDMS application and conducted a focused group user experience survey, which revealed a positive attitude towards VDMS in terms of both usefulness and satisfaction. Second, a driving simulator study was conducted to analyse two other critical aspects of VDMS, message comprehension and driver distraction. Results revealed that VDMS generally performs better than DMS across different amounts of information provision and under different driving conditions regardless of driver age. It is recommended that transportation agencies give full consideration to VDMS as a future strategy for delivering public traffic information in a connected vehicle environment.