Telecommunications- and Information Technology–Inspired Analyses: Review of an Intelligent Transportation Systems Experience

This paper reviews both the author’s experience with managing highway network traffic on a real-time basis and the ongoing research into harnessing the potential of telecommunications and information technology (IT). On the basis of the lessons learned, this paper speculates about how telecommunications and IT capabilities can respond to current and future developments in traffic management. Issues arising from disruptive telecommunications technologies include the ready availability of real-time information, the crowdsourcing of information, the challenges of big data, and the need for information quality. Issues arising from transportation technologies include autonomous vehicles and connected vehicles and new taxi-like car- and bikesharing. Illustrations are drawn from the following core functions of a traffic management center: (a) detecting and resolving an incident (possibly through crowdsourcing), (b) monitoring and forecasting traffic (possibly through connected vehicles serving as sensors), (c) advising motorists about routing alternatives (possibly through real-time information), and (d) configuring traffic control strategies and tactics (possibly though big data). The conclusion drawn is that agility is the key to success in an ever-evolving technological scene. The solid guiding principle remains innovative and rigorous analytical procedures that build on the state of the art in the field, including both hard and soft technologies. The biggest modeling and simulation challenge remains the unknown, including such rapidly emerging trends as the Internet of things and the smart city.