Automatic vehicle identification (AVI) technology design considerations for highway applications

The requirements for AVI for a variety of applications are described, and the characteristics of an appropriate AVI system are summarized. A system specification has been developed from these requirements, which forms the basis of the HELP project, a major installation in the western USA. It is also the basis of a draft specification for AVI equipment in California. The key features of the system are high-speed multilane capability with in-pavement antennas. The system has bidirectional communication capability and is expandable from a basic low-cost implementation to a system with the capability to interact with onboard equipment and to display roadside information to the driver. With these characteristics, the system is capable of forming the basis for AVI and highway information applications proposed for the next decade