Technology

Executive Overview

There is a definite desire for better traffic data to give drivers more choice and control for avoiding traffic congestion. And what's more, today there is no viable solution to alleviate the unnecessary aggravation and minimize the loss of valuable time & money. Interviewing a sample of commuter, taxi, and package delivery drivers identified a demand for timely and readily available traffic related congestion information. Package delivery, taxi/shuttle, rental car, and commuter drivers will benefit from a real-time system that provides accurate updated traffic condition information and offers alternative routing recommendations integrated with an existing in-vehicle navigation device.

TAS© (Traffic Avoidance System) involves software that will integrate seamlessly with multiple hardware systems. It will be introduced to the time-sensitive package delivery companies that operate in the most traffic congested cities in the U.S. This device will benefit customers by saving them time and money. TAS will help these companies achieve competitive advantage by improving their services, reducing penalties, and improving customer retention. Business success and gaining competitive advantage are thus the compelling reason to buy, making TAS a highly desirable solution.

II. Problem Statement

Most, if not all would agree that traffic congestion is a common problem in and around large, highly populated cities in the US today. Everyday in the US millions of people get into their vehicles and drive - some to get to and from work or school, others running errands, or traveling to close and far-away vacation destinations. Many are on the road all day and/or night because their jobs consist primarily of, or require extensive driving. People from different walks of life (who we have interviewed to-date ) share a common outrage from poor traffic conditions and a "helplessness" in their inability to avoid "being stuck" - most say they "hate traffic," "wish they didn't have to ever get on the road during rush hour," "can't wait until I start working from home to avoid the hours in traffic hell..."

Rush hour / peak travel times, accidents, road construction, and detours are among the most common reasons for traffic problems, but regardless of the cause and impact, traffic jams always lead to frustration, delay, and unnecessary stress. "It's a nightmare - regardless of the time of day, the traffic on the 26 [Hwy 26 East] is usually bad, and I can waste hours in my car in stop-and-go traffic if I don't carefully plan the time I leave, and again, even then, you never know," shares a Lisa Hicks, a commuter living in Beaverton, OR.

It's worse for businesses that employ professional drivers, and for whom reaching a destination in a timely manner affects the bottom line. The common saying "time is money" resonates with the reality of flower delivery service owner, Donnie Blodgett, who complains that he's "losing money [and potential business] because he can't always guarantee when [he]'ll get there," and goes on to state that not being able to "plan well for avoiding traffic is a major factor."

In response to the above & many more feedback like: "Wish I had known there would be traffic in this area before I were in the middle of the highway, stuck in it;" or "Can never get traffic info on the radio when I most needed - I play guessing games to choose which way to go, often do crazy things [like drive 10+ extra miles] just to keep moving," we have concluded that there is a need and a business opportunity to develop a more comprehensive, and easy-to-access-while-on-the-road traffic information system.

The potential user/customer benefit is even more apparent if one were to research what's out there today. When asked whether people seek traffic information when they plan trips or select their routes to a given destination, the majority response was a strong "Yes!" - the most common sources of road conditions