Abstract
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Location based Traffic and Traveler Services (LBS) are evolving from today's route guidance and Navigation Systems. An important enabling technology, which is being added to a range of in-vehicle sensors, is the ability for a vehicle to "look ahead" in a predictive way. This is achieved by using an enhanced Navigation map database. These have evolved during the last 10 years in coverage, content and accuracy to such a degree that they are being used (and considered) for applications beyond vehicle navigation. For numerous ADAS applications in Europe, North America, and Japan, these data bases are being applied to dynamic route guidance, LBS, floating car data and re-routing, which are leading to promising developments in traffic management, road capacity utilization, and the ultimate goal of major reductions in accidents and less congestion and pollution.
Two aspects that become more and more important in the area of in vehicle application are:
The use of data by several in independent vehicle applications
The availability of fresh and approved data.
Use of data by different applications
Today's cars are becoming more and more an electronic device by their own. Several sensors are located in the car for different applications and several applications demand information from similar sensors. Having a common data pool in the car, to be used by all application in the vehicle will lead to reducing the amount of redundant sensors.
One sensor will be able to serve multiple applications. Keeping this in mind the map should be seen as one of the sensors, which could be used for providing information. Ideally the map data would be shared among all requested applications.
Fresh data and approved data
The quality and accuracy of the data is defined as both a function of the Captured accuracy at the time the map is being built, as well as the degree to which the map is up to date. The availability of new and fresh data is not only important for the current navigation systems but also very important for the new evolving applications in the driver assistance area as well as In the location based service area. Having new data delivery techniques available will lead to fresher data with a higher quality level. The availability of fresh data may also open the market for new applications. Important before providing the latest available (fresh) data to the application in the vehicle is to have a quality statement about the data. As the national authorities are the first in the series of institutes able in collecting and providing the data, the control on the quality and freshness of the data should start here. This should be monitored with a type of change control management. This system can be used to monitor the data until it finally reaches it appropriate location in the vehicle.