Trends in Digital Road Map Databases for Microcomputer Applications in Transportation

by Lawrence E. Sweeney, Jr., Etak, Inc, Menlo Park, United States,
Walter B. Zavoli, Etak, Inc, Menlo Park, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Microcomputers in Transportation

Abstract:

Advances in the technology and coverage of precision digital road-map database, combined with advances in the size and data processing capacity of microcomputers, are together contributing to a dramatic revolution in the ability to provide geographically-based solutions to transportation problems. Digital road-map database structures are now available that reduce the data storage requirements by an order of magnitude, and data access times by two orders of magnitude compared to previous approaches. Furthermore, digital hardware technology now provides remarkable computational and storage capacities in small packages at reasonable prices in notebook and in palmtop computers combined with hard disks, CD, ROM, and RAM cards. Even more dramatic advances are expected in the near future. These capabilities, combined with navigation systems (such as GPS, map matching, and radio location), permit users to obtain and utilize precise, geographically-based information, regardless of their location. Such approaches are useful in a wide variety of applications including GIS data collection and utilization, congestion management, transit planning and scheduling, traffic data collection systems, traveler information systems, fleet management, and many more. This paper will discuss present and future trends in geographically-based information and its application to transportation systems, and how these trends are becoming evident from our work in IVHS, navigation, and GIS programs.

Subject Headings: Information management | Geographic information systems | Databases | Data collection | Mapping | Highways and roads | Information systems

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