The Realizability of the Potential Benefits of Intelligent Vehicle‐highway Systems: The Influence of Public Acceptance

In: Information, technology & people, Band 7, Heft 4, S. 48-62

Abstract

Intelligent vehicle‐highway systems (IVHS) combine computing, sensors
and telecom‐munications to deliver a more effective road/vehicle system
for freight and passenger vehicles. Many of these technologies involve
surveillance of the location and behaviour of identified vehicles and/or
people, and the collation of such data for further use. These and other
aspects of IVHS technologies raise concerns among the community, and
have delayed the adoption of some systems. Outlines IVHS systems, and
considers strategies for their introduction. The ownership and use of
data collected in the course of IVHS operations is shown to present
opportunities relating to revenue‐collection and law‐enforcement, on the
one hand, and public acceptability problems, on the other. There are
growing links with large‐scale data transmission facilities such as the
US National Information Initiative (NII) and the equivalent massive
interactive data networks developing elsewhere. Major errors in the
implementation of early elements of IVHS may make it extremely difficult
to deploy further elements. Argues that adoption of a number of
principles could safeguard the potential benefits at an acceptable
social cost.