Delivering In-Vehicle Messages in Temporary Work Zones

The primary objective of SBIR Phase II is to design and validate the data flow inside a smart work zone system by designing a framework that would enable exchanging work zone related messages between remote traffic management center server TMCS and the vehicles on the road. The framework will possess the following capabilities: • Ability to broadcast Traveler Information Messages (TIM) as well as Road Side Alert (RSA) messages to connected vehicles in a work zone. • Ability to track vehicles traversing a work zone to extract data for performance metric computation. • Ability to remotely configure TIM from a central location over cellular link or on‐site via an Ethernet link. • Ability to communicate with existing work zone equipment using the NTCIP protocol. The following are the main components of the proposed framework: • A tool to create TIMs and RSAs and placing them on local maps and enhance the logic to identify work zone areas. • Road side Equipment (RSE) that broadcasts TIM/RSA, receives BSMs from connected vehicles, communicates with existing work zone equipment via NTCIP, and, communicates with remote central server via cellular OBU receives the work zone messages (TIM/RSA) from either the RSE or other OBUs. These messages are communicated to driver through a driver-vehicle interface. • Traffic Management Server (TMCS) – Centralized server that is capable of provisioning TIM/RSA messages on the RSE. It also does the data analysis of the OBU messages and calculates work zone travel parameters including travel time and congestion extension (Back of the Queue Location). The Work Zone project scope will also include the development of a set of algorithms and applications, hosted inside in vehicle OBU’s, required to intelligently communicate with the proposed work zone system (mainly the RSE), to extend the operation field of the work zone system and to convey to the driver the required travel information and warning messages.