Vehicle Information and Communication System
Encyclopedia
Vehicle Information and Communication System (VICS) is a technology used in Japan
for delivering traffic and travel
information to road vehicle drivers.
It can be compared with the European TMC
technology.
It can be transmitted using:
It is an application of ITS
.
The VICS information can be displayed on the car navigation unit at 3 levels:
Information transmitted includes traffic congestion
data, data on availability of service areas (SA) and parking areas (PA), information on road works and traffic collisions.
Some advanced navigation units might utilize this data for route calculation (e.g., choosing a route to avoid congestion) or the driver might use his own discretion while using this information.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for delivering traffic and travel
Travel
Travel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:...
information to road vehicle drivers.
It can be compared with the European TMC
Traffic Message Channel
Traffic Message Channel is a technology for delivering traffic and travel information to drivers. It is typically digitally coded using the FM-RDS system on conventional FM radio broadcasts...
technology.
It can be transmitted using:
- InfraredInfraredInfrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
- MicrowaveMicrowaveMicrowaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
s in the ISM bandISM bandThe industrial, scientific and medical radio bands are radio bands reserved internationally for the use of radio frequency energy for industrial, scientific and medical purposes other than communications....
. - FMFrequency modulationIn telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
, similar to Radio Data SystemRadio Data SystemRadio Data System, or RDS, is a communications protocol standard for embedding small amounts of digital information in conventional FM radio broadcasts. RDS standardises several types of information transmitted, including time, station identification and programme information.Radio Broadcast Data...
(RDS) or Data Radio Channel (DARC).
It is an application of ITS
Intelligent transportation system
The term intelligent transportation systems refers to information and communication technology that improve transport outcomes such as transport safety, transport productivity, travel reliability, informed travel choices, social equity, environmental performance and network operation...
.
The VICS information can be displayed on the car navigation unit at 3 levels:
- Level-1: Simple text data
- Level-2: In form of simple diagrams
- Level-3: Data superimposed on the map displayed on navigation unit (e.g., traffic congestion data)
Information transmitted includes traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
data, data on availability of service areas (SA) and parking areas (PA), information on road works and traffic collisions.
Some advanced navigation units might utilize this data for route calculation (e.g., choosing a route to avoid congestion) or the driver might use his own discretion while using this information.