Pictures of the Future    Spring 2007

Pocket Navigator

Munich, 2016. Tom and Susan from the U.S. have finally gotten around to taking that long-planned trip to Germany. They’re driving a smart car, which is fed with traffic information in real time. Vehicles ahead have sent out a warning of a traffic jam, giving Tom time to follow the navigation system’s advice and take a detour.

"That will be perfectly normal in the future," says Dr. Hans-Gerd Krekels. "Cars will always be online." The challenge will be to ensure seamless wireless connectivity to external sources and services. Equally complex is the job of integrating consumer electronics and infotainment services, because these develop so fast, explains Krekels, who is in charge of product portfolio and innovation management for Infotainment Solutions at Siemens VDO (SV) in Wetzlar, Germany. That’s why he has opted for open software architecture with interfaces, which connects vehicles to mobile navigation and multimedia applications. "We’re working on a completely new multimedia development platform that could be ready by 2010," Krekels adds.

Siemens has developed an array of solutions for improving traffic control, including the "Ruhrpilot" for the Ruhr region and a Traffic Management Center in Berlin (see Stadium Technology in Pictures of the Future, Spring 2006). Here, computers analyze data from thousands of traffic sensors; any data on traffic jams or road repairs is transmitted immediately to drivers via radio, mobile phone, navigation system and the Internet.

These are the first important steps toward the 2016 scenario. Also working to realize this vision is Dr. Christian Schwingenschlögl of Siemens Corporate Technology (CT) in Munich, who develops new solutions for efficient communications networks. Radio networks are subjected to new burdens when cars on the road communicate with one another—collecting, processing and (without the invention of a central computer) swapping data with other vehicles, directly or via nodes. Some applications demand extremely reliable data transfer, while for others the priority is fast transmission rates, to ensure that vehicles following behind are warned of road hazards in real time. "Right now, we’re working on efficient broadband wireless Internet connections for vehicles," explains Schwingenschlögl. Today’s prototypes are all based on mobile WLAN technology ( WLAN on the highway). Researchers are currently developing the efficient protocols required to ensure reliable data transfer during the narrow time slot when vehicles drive past one another or a stationary access point. Another challenge is to manage the handover when changing from one WLAN node, which has a range of less than 200 m, to the next. "We’re also looking into enhanced network technology for the roadside receiver stations and new communications standards," Schwingenschlögl adds.

The IEEE international committee is currently creating a WLAN standard (802.11p) for cars. From 2008, new vehicles from different manufacturers should therefore be able to warn each other of road hazards, opening the possibility of dynamic self-regulation for road traffic. SV is already testing prototypes in cooperation with Industrial Siemens Solutions and Services (I&S), according to Schwingenschlögl, who anticipates very rapid progress to market maturity. "Downtown areas of major cities, in particular, are ideal for this technology."

Digital Pheromones. Also active in the field of car-to-car communications is Dieter Kolb, who has been working for the past two years on software for vehicle-based capture of traffic data. In partnership with Johannes Kepler University and the Ars Electronica Futurelab, both in the Austrian city of Linz, Kolb and his team from CT in Munich have taken the principle of self-organization employed by ant colonies and applied it to road traffic. This is because cars can be made to leave a trail of digital "pheromones" on the road, just as ants do when they secrete a special scent to mark routes to food (see  Swarm Intelligence in Pictures of the Future, Spring 2006).

In this case, vehicles record relevant data for each section of road, such as the time taken to cover the distance. This is then transmitted to a computer or via mobile radio to neighboring vehicles, which in turn forward the information to other vehicles. In this way, each vehicle has an overview of the current traffic situation and can therefore select an optimal route. "We’re using a special simulator to look at which data we need to record, and how best to do it, in order to optimally inform other road users," Kolb explains. This involves simulating traffic jams for example, to check how many vehicles need to be equipped with such a system in order to trigger a self-organizing effect.

"The initial results are very encouraging," he reports. "The use of digital pheromones can substantially reduce the build-up of traffic congestion, because drivers can switch to alternative routes, with the result that traffic gets spread across the entire road network." In Kolb’s simulation, taking an alternative route or a calculated detour saves time. "But we’ll have to see whether things pan out in reality," he says. The human factor is the great unknown here, and it plays a decisive role in this type of system. "We’ll be going to field trials in one or two years, once the algorithms have been fully developed."

"In 100 meters, turn left into parking space No. 98," says the voice from the loudspeakers. The navigation system guides Tom and Susan to a free space in the parking garage of the Siemens Forum in the heart of Munich.

"It’ll be another five years or so before we’ll be able to feed information on vacant parking spaces directly into navigation systems," comments Mirko Wendler, Marketing Manager for Parking Management Systems for South Germany. Using the technical know-how of partner Setrix, Siemens is now operating its first ever parking guidance system, in the old part of Munich. This reference project, which has been running since May 2006, covers a total of 24 parking garages with 7,400 parking spaces.

Drivers approaching on the ring road around the old part of the city are able to check parking availability via variable traffic signs. Equipped with an aerial and GPRS module, the displays receive data via mobile radio, with updates every minute in busy periods. "Because no cables had to be laid, it saved the city a lot of money," Wendler explains. The underlying system is Internet-based, which means, as Jörg Mortsiefer explains, that "new subscribers such as other parking garages, the ADAC motorists’ organization and even radio stations can be connected at minimal cost." Mortsiefer is Sales Director at Setrix. His team has developed the requisite network technology, complete with control module and gateway, which manages the communications to the control room and controls the LCD displays. The software for the user and web interfaces also come from Setrix, a startup in which Siemens Venture Capital holds a 25-% stake.

"Our vision is that everyone should be able to check parking via the Internet before they set off," says Mortsiefer. Meanwhile, Wendler is working to launch another system with 13,000 parking spaces in Erlangen. The city is home to the largest Siemens location worldwide, which will be connected to the system along with parking garage operators, the University Clinic and a local savings bank. An EU directive on fine particulates is likely to boost the chances of this innovative parking guidance system, since 40 % of traffic in cities is generated by drivers looking for parking. "Our system can cut that significantly," says Mortsiefer.

In the Siemens Forum, Tom and Susan are given a handheld terminal that serves as a navigation aid and museum guide. When directed at an object—say the pointer telegraph invented by Werner v. Siemens—the terminal provides them with detailed information regarding the device. What’s more, it also displays digital comments left by other museum visitors. One such message suggests where they can get the best sausage and beer…

Whereas routing systems are a way of life for many drivers, pedestrian navigation is still in its infancy. Instead of information on interstate highways and one-way streets, what people on foot or bicycles really need are digital maps of much greater detail than are currently available. That’s because they want to be guided to specific locations such as restaurants and ATMs.

Digital Graffiti. Dieter Kolb already has a solution for museums. Together with scientists from Johannes Kepler University, he has developed an electronic guide for the State Museum in Linz, which makes use of "digital graffiti." Pocket-format computers, commonly known as PDAs, steer visitors through the different exhibitions. They also can provide background information in the form of text, voice, images and online links. "Data is assigned to specific locations throughout the museum," explains Kolb. In order for the electronic guide to be able to recognize any particular exhibit, the museum visitor must first take a picture using a built-in camera, which the system then recognizes. Further information is then immediately transmitted to the PDA.

"Visitors can also leave their own graffiti," says Kolb. Using this interactive solution, they can post virtual messages and comments on a special server via WLAN. "Other visitors can then view them on their PDAs, superimposed on a layout plan. These might be comments on the exhibition or a message to meet in the museum cafeteria." Kolb is also looking at industrial applications. "We’ve already tested the solution at Hanover Airport with German Air Traffic Control and Siemens IT Solutions and Services," he says. There, digital graffiti was used to guide an aircraft from the runway across the apron to a stationary position.
                                                                                                             Nikola Wohllaib