TRAFFIC INFORMATION SERVICE BY THE TOKYO METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has provided drivers with quick and accurate information based on the calculation using a large amount of gathered data for the purpose of dispersing and guiding vehicles, as well as easing drivers' impatience. The Traffic Information Providing System is complemented by the Advanced Traffic Information Service System, which was introduced in February 1995, and infrared beacons introduced in April 1996 for better traffic information service. In order to meet today's diverging drivers' needs, information most valuable for drivers is selected from edited traffic information. Such traffic information, including that on traffic congestion, is given to drivers via not only existing media such as traffic information boards using LEDs, roadside radios, and automatic telephone and facsimile guides, but car navigation systems by means of infrared beacons as well. Especially in traffic information service using infrared beacons, information on traffic congestion is superimposed on a digital road map displayed on the CRT of a car navigation system. In addition, drivers are provided with detailed traffic information from individual infrared beacoms in the forms of messages and simplified graphics displayed on the screen.