Traffic Alert

1
Traffic Alert!
2
The Problem

• Since 1982 The US population has increased 19,
  the number of registered motor vehicles has
  increased 36, and the number of miles traveled
  has increased 72, however road capacity has only
  been increased by 5 1
• Newport News / Virginia Beach commuters lose an
  average of about 25 hours per year due to traffic
  2
• The wasted time cost Americans 5.7 billion
  gallons of fuel and approximately 67.5 billion (
  0.7 of the national GDP) in 2000 3
• There are also smaller scale problems such as
  wear and tear on a vehicle, inability for a fast
  emergency response, road rage etc

• 1. http//www.ntweek.org/publications/ARTBA_Conges
  tion.pdf
• 2. http//www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0855647.html
• 3. http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_congestion
  

3
Current Solutions

• The Virginia 610 AM traffic broadcast
• VDOT Traffic Cams
• Navigation devices that can supposedly guide
  you around traffic

4
My Solution

• Implement a web interface that allows the user to
  plot their route. The user should then see the
  various VDOT cameras along that route on their
  computer
• Each driver will have a username tied to a cell
  phone number, and when the user is stuck in
  traffic they can call/text message the system and
  it will text all of traffic updates along their
  route back to them

5
Pros and Cons

• Pros
• This system will run in real time so that drivers
  get up to date information when they need it
• It will be cheap and have little to no startup
  cost for the user
• This could easily be sold as a subscription
  service allowing the drivers to stop using it
  when they want

• Cons
• Text messaging could be made illegal in Virginia
• Aside from the obvious safety issues associated
  with cell phones and driving, this could create
  serious legal liability issues
• Could get expensive if the user does not have
  unlimited text messaging

6
Gratuitous Angry Driver