Which Route Home?

Do you check your GPS before heading into traffic? Traffic researchers Michael Levin and John Hourdos want to provide better traffic data. They are working to turn basic safety data into a traffic state estimator. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed that all new vehicles be required to broadcast basic safety messages (BSMs), such as the vehicle’s location, speed, and direction to help surrounding vehicles detect and avoid collisions. Researchers Michael Levin and John Hourdos believe that such information could also be used to learn about the state of traffic. Levin and Hourdos have received a $250,000 research grant to develop their ideas.

Levin is developing a methodology for converting the broadcast BSMs into traffic flow variables (speed, flow, and density) to obtain a larger traffic picture: queue lengths and travel times.

Hourdos is constructing emulated BSMs from radar tracks. The two researchers will combine their data and study the accuracy of their traffic state estimator with various levels of connected vehicles in the traffic. Ultimately, their research could lead to more accurate and up-to-date information on your route home.