International Transportation (68) 1 | 2016 27 Traic Control PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS Intelligent management of-traic congestion Intelligent traic cones for automatic recording and dissemination of information regarding traic backlogs Traic impairments, infrastructure to vehicles, Cloud-based traic information Sudden disturbances on roads and in intersection areas can lead to massive traic impairments and to potentially dangerous accident situations. In the future, the use of intelligent traic cones could help here: They serve as a safeguard and as recording devices for disturbances and promptly deliver situationrelevant information including precise location data. The smooth dissemination of information supports the rapid dissolution of traic backlogs and gets traic lowing again. Authors: Joachim Schade, René Schönrock T raic impairments that disturb the normal traic routine always carry a high risk of accidents. These disruptive traic impairments can have multiple causes. While planned roadworks and abnormal loads represent obstacles that can be predicted in- advance, other impairments such as accidents, neglected vehicles and items, mowing work and breakdowns as well as unplanned or mobile roadworks are unpredictable and often lead to substantial disturbances of the traic. In order to prevent these impairments from becoming a danger for traic participants, the afected trouble spots have to be marked and, if possible, cordoned of immediately and suiciently and all road users in the vicinity must be informed of the disturbance. For ensuring safety at accident scenes as well as roadworks, red-white painted barrels and tons were used in Germany until 1952. However, these safety measures in themselves represented a potential cause for accidents, especially because of the heavy weight of the blockade barrel. With the invention of the traic cone made of rubber and functioning as a barrier item and also as a road sign, the potential accident risk has Figures: ifak International Transportation (68) 1 | 2016 28 PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS Traic Control been substantially reduced. This device can be used at short notice to eiciently warn road users of danger spots and to mark the scenes of accidents and interventions. White cross stripes on an orange basis increase visibility and thus the warning efect. However, these warning devices of traic disturbances are only perceivable for road users who are directly at the place of the accident or the roadwork site. Currently, it is still impossible to pass on information on short-term traic congestion in real time and/ or directly to other traic participants. For these situations, the smart traic cone, developed by the ifak Institute in Magdeburg, will provide relief in the future. With the smart traic cone (STC), a world-irst safety feature has been invented. This traic cone guarantees the prompt recording and dissemination of information about disturbances in traic, including precise location data. The uses of the traic cone are versatile: It is a tool for police, rescue services, salvage and service staf, who can embed it into their working routine (Figure-1). The smart traic cone contains multiple electronic modules for geolocation and communication, allowing an independent, highly precise localization (Figure 2). Through the use of methods like Precision Point Positioning (PPP) and Diferential GPS (DGPS), noticeably higher precision than with normal GPS can be reached, so that the cone can be localized on a digital map down to line precision. Other features such as the automatic determination of the length of a disturbance through digital networking of several smart traic cones are enabled by Cloud-based traic cone management. The collected data on impaired and blocked sections are compiled, processed and passed on to the internal headquarters as well as connected platforms via mobile and wireless systems. In addition, a connection to the public platform Mobilitäts Daten Marktplatz (MDM, www.mdm-portal.de) has been realised by ifak. This enables traic participants to retrieve information about disturbances on their route even over long distances in real time, by calling up time-critical data via the Internet, radio (TMC), DAB, navigation systems or future advanced direct driver assistance systems. The traic cone itself becomes a part of the digital infrastructure of the Mobilitäts Daten Marktplatz as a data supplier and as such supports independently the eicient data and information stream to the data users. However, also in the direct surroundings of an impaired and blocked area, the road users can proit from the information sent by the smart traic cone. Car2X technologies provide them with important news in real time. Information about disturbances is passed on directly per dedicated short range communication (DSRC Radio) to approaching vehicles and thus extends the user’s view of the upcoming road section. Through the early recognition of disturbances and the fast reaction of the traic participants, trafic safety can be considerably increased. With the dissemination of information both via the MDM platform and via direct wireless connection to other vehicles, the road users can adapt their routes and driving manner to the latest traic situation and, depending on the overall situation, bypass disturbances or blocked sections. ■ Joachim Schade Traic and assistance, ifak e.V., Magdeburg joachim.schade@ifak.eu René Schönrock Traic and assistance, ifak e.V., Magdeburg rene.schoenrock@ifak.eu Figure 1: The intelligent traic cone concept Figure 2: Top view of an intelligent traic cone with integrated circuit board