September 11, 2005
Using RFID for Automatic Vehicle Location
RFID provides the means of enhancing customer experience and of overcoming manpower and space constraints. The main bus terminal at Vejle, Denmark was centrally located and did not have the resources to deal with an increased traffic. It implemented an advanced Terminal Management System that used RFID technology provided by Traffic Supervision Systems. This happened way back in 1999. Today, it manages more than 150 buses that cover 13 city routes and there are around 800 arrivals and departures at the terminal everyday.
RFID implementation has made it easier for passengers to access departure and arrival information; now they can do so from anywhere in the terminal. Visually impaired passengers can get the information on a system that supports Braille. Deploying RFID helped to provide information to the passengers and improved the capacity management at the terminal. RFID allows advance intimation to the travelers about the bus schedules and the platform numbers, this makes it convenient for the passengers as the information provided is real-time. The implementation of RFID allows for dynamic allocation of platforms depending upon the availability of space and the most current information. This has allowed the terminal to do away with the concept of providing fixed terminals, which led to a rigid management system.
In order to implement the TSS AVI Solution, it is necessary to align the buses in a particular manner with respect to the platform exit and entry as well as in relation to each other. This is achieved by mounting tags on buses that can be read by the readers even at high speeds. The readers are placed in the ground on the routes that the buses ply. This gives the exact location of the bus at a given time; this is combined with the odometer readings to get the bus positions relative to each other and enables the terminal to make adjustments, if necessary. The reader also functions as a metal detector and tells if a bus is still in the depot or has left.
By implementing RFID enabled traffic management systems, it is possible to network the city and its traffic hotspots in a reliable and inexpensive manner. This will help to establish and maintain priorities for emergency vehicles, gather information on passengers at bus-stops and in the buses, gather data on vehicles, etc.
--
Did you enjoy this post?
« Samsys come up with solution to accelerate gen2 RFID implementations | Main | RFID - the China angle »
