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I've posted this to a couple of GPS forums, but I'd like to get a more broad sense of what a user of such a system would really be interested in. - thx

As part of an engineering project, I am looking at the design of an automated traffic information system that expands traffic information into non-urban areas by using system equipped vehicles as sensors. The basic premise is that the system:

- measures traffic volume via stationary sensors (already being done)
- measures traffic volume via system equipped vehicles (somewhat new)
- provides route meanagement via in-vehicle systems (already being done, like FM traffic to your nav)
- provides route management via signal controls (expand on what is being done today)

My questions are:
- Are the four points of the premisse true? Should there be more?
- What else is important to a user of such a system? (user privacy issues come to mind, especially if your vehicle is feeding location/speed information back into the system)
- Is there a need to have mobile web (internet) access to the vehicle?
- Should such a system be expanded to include vehicle diagnostics by tying into the vehicle's on-board computer via the OBD-II connection (or other means?)

Any replies would be appreciated. Thanks.  

thats a great idea....

it could be done with an APP in Iphones...  with feed back through the internet and the GPS signals in the i phone...

i live near a freeway... might be interesting... to watch the feed back signals late at night when the cycles make high speed runs...

some of those late night runs are probably close to a buck and a half..


if could also be done with feed back from Onstar built in systems...  and might be a great app for them...

there is one problem.. i don't have an iphone..  or other new trick cell..  and i don't know if it can properly measure the gps speed  if it does not have an external antenna...


i always thought that it would be a great idea to have gps cell phones with hikers and mountain climbers...  used with a service like nextels comet tracker..

so it sends a gps signal to the internet... that records the location... altitudes included..  so ... search and rescue can locate you or your trail almost instantly...

think of you pals back at the bar... they can display you track one the big screen...  as you climb..  or hike.. or race...

you could also have a digital recording of your climb or hike to prove that you did it...  

some car rental companies.. have gps tracking on the cars...  if you speed... they add large sums to your rental fees...  

Thanks for the input. The project is a grad school project and additional feedback, opinions and inputs are welcome.

I have traveled the beltway around DC in the late evening and always have a least a few motorcyclists blow by me. They've got to be going 130+. Any mishap has got to be fatal at those speeds.

I'm currently researching the possibility of incorporating the capability into On-Star equipped vehicles. I’m not sure I want to interface from cell phone apps. I think I need a more reliable and controlled sensor than the phone can provide. I hear that there are systems in development that would use phone apps for similar information as to what I want, I’m just not sure it’s in my best interest to go that route.

Again, thanks for the input and additional feedback is certainly welcome.  

I have a survey regarding the mount for a GPS and satisfaction.  If anybody would take it I would greatly appreciate it.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=PjVR3fPnUdxX23h4n9MH3g_3d_3d