TRAC: An Architecture for Real-Time Dissemination of Vehicular Traffic Information

Abstract

Disseminating traffic related information to vehicular users is increasingly becoming a necessity nowadays in the context of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). However, till date there does not exist an efficient model for information delivery to achieve this objective. We introduce TRAC, an architecture designed to support dissemination of location-sensitive real-time traffic information specifically targeted towards highly mobile users (vehicles moving at high speeds). We believe that this is the first in-depth study investigating the various components involved in designing a traffic information system using the publish/subscribe model. Additionally, we introduce the concept of virtual publishers and subscription predictions to make the traditional publish/subscribe paradigm better suited for applications like traffic information accumulation. Using extensive simulations, we argue for the feasibility of our proposed architecture.