Evaluation of Traffic Control Systems as ITS Infrastructure for Automated Driving

Vehicles with automated driving systems require more sensor information about their environment than non-automated vehicles. Detection with camera, lidar or other sensors is already state of the art in newer vehicles. As of today though, they only work in close proximity and lack the incorporation of existing traffic information from local authorities. In this paper, we present a novel way of providing traffic management information to vehicles, sent directly from Road Authorities. We use existing ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) infrastructure and assess how information on traffic control and reroutes, displayed on variable message signs, can be used as sensory input for vehicles. We examine real world data from a South German Road Authority. The evaluation of latency, reliability and integrity of traffic information has been conducted end-to-end as well as between the six stations that are involved. We show the general feasibility of our proposal and discuss which obstacles need to be overcome for a wider use in other road systems.