OptiFCD

Floating Car Data (FCD) have established as one of the most important data sources for deriving real-time traffic information (RTTI). The quality of FCD-based traffic information is primarily determined by two aspects: (1) the number of vehicles collecting and transmitting data (FCD penetration rate) and (2) the quality of FCD information processing (from in-vehicle data collection, via data transmission to generation of traffic information). The quality of FCD information processing is determined by quality parameters in the following three dimensions: (1) spatial quality (e.g. positioning quality, spatial resolution or road coverage), (2) temporal quality (e.g. collection, transmission and processing intervals) and (3) thematic quality / validity (e.g. accuracy and validity of measurements). As example, FCD quality parameters may be used to define how often a vehicle determines its position (e.g. every second), how often positions are transmitted to the FCD system (e.g. every 30 seconds), how often positions are processed to traffic information (e.g. every 2 minutes) and how long the processing takes (e.g. 30 seconds).

The OptiFCD project pursues the goal of calculating, visualizing and interpreting necessary FCD penetration rates for the Austrian freeway network. Therefore, the whole process of traffic information generation from FCD (from collection via transmission to processing) and the effects of relevant quality parameters on traffic information quality along the three dimensions spatial, temporal and thematic quality (which will be identified and quantified within the project) are considered. Different quality characteristics and parameter values are described as scenarios. For each scenario necessary FCD vehicle volumes and penetration rates are calculated for representative road sections (under consideration of typical traffic volumes on different weekdays and daytimes). All calculation results are going to be referenced with the Austrian Graph Integration Platform (GIP) and visualized with a GIS. The interpretation of results together with the contracting body leads to final conclusions, which offers a strategic decision support for meaningful usage of FCD throughout the Austria freeway network.