Principal Investigator(s):
M. Imran Hayee, Dept. Head, Professor, UMD-Electrical Engineering
Project summary:
The growing number of work zones on U.S. roadways demands the need for a traffic information system to give drivers timely updates on travel time and congestion. Dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) is a key wireless communication technology to realize such automated traffic information systems. This research team has previously developed a work zone information system using DSRC-based V2I communication in conjunction with V2V communication. The previously developed system uses a roadside DSRC unit acting as central control to facilitate the acquisition and dissemination of work zone travel parameters such as travel time (TT) and starting location of congestion (SLoC). However, the successful operation of this system depends on the reliable functionality of the roadside DSRC unit working as the central control. To improve system reliability and ease of deployment, this research aims to develop a work zone travel information system using V2V communication only, without needing a DSRC-based roadside unit. In the proposed system, acquisition of TT and SLoC will be performed strictly using DSRC-based V2V communication. Furthermore, the dissemination of the acquired parameters will also be done using DSRC-based V2V communication to both DSRC-equipped vehicles and DSRC-equipped portable changeable message signs (PCMSs) strategically placed alongside the road. DSRC-equipped PCMSs will be able to receive these parameters from nearby DSRC-equipped vehicles on the road via DSRC-based V2V communication and display them for the drivers of those vehicles lacking DSRC capability. Additionally, a rigorous analysis will be performed to investigate the minimum DSRC market penetration rate needed for successful functionality of the proposed system with respect to both acquisition and dissemination of TT and SLoC.