A fleet of ‘probe’ vehicles has been developed as part of a system designed to monitor peak-hour traffic congestion, warning road users of delays in traffic.
According to SMH.com.au, the vehicles, often hire cars, taxis or delivery vans, can relay their speed and location via satellite to a central hub that sends traffic warnings to motorists within 30 seconds.
The system is then able to inform drivers of any traffic issues on any given road at any given time, through their SatNav devices, providing more relevant and accurate information than previously, which was based on data sourced from traffic lights and road cameras. The data from the ‘probe’ fleet overrides any other information if the situation seems unusual.