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INTRODUCTION: OUR FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE
There are many challenges and problems engineers face when dealing with urban infrastructure. The overall, grand challenge is to restore and improve every component, from major roadways to dams. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the United States (US) a D+ grade point average on its “report card” for the quality of its infrastructure [1]. Traffic congestion on major roads and highways is a serious problem in urban infrastructure and its effects take a toll on every household, not just the overall economy. Increasing the intelligence of vehicles to create vehicular networks will combat the severe problem of gridlocks.

I have selected this topic because like the average working class commuter, I have been driving for a while and have been late to important events such as family gatherings and sporting events due to unexpected traffic congestion. Car experts and transportation engineers like Doug Newcomb, a car tech expert who has written publications for Popular Mechanics and Road & Track, agree that vehicular networks, if used as the norm, will solve or reduce the problem of traffic congestion. I think this technology is a major stepping stone in the future of connected cars, but like with self-driving vehicles, not every person will be willing to buy or accept it at first, including myself. The benefits of such car systems, such as INRIX XD Traffic, outweigh the disadvantages, and if implemented, can reduce traffic congestion.

RED LIGHT: THE PROBLEM OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND ITS EFFECTS
Traffic congestion is a constantly increasing problem, exemplified by its causes and effects. With more cars on the road due to rapid population growth and economic expansion, traffic congestion will only get worse with time. In regards to its causes, bottlenecks, or simply “too many cars on the road”, contribute 40%, traffic incidents like car crashes make up 25%, bad weather accounts for 15%, work zones compose 10%, poor traffic signal timing accommodates for 5%, and special events/other like concerts provides for 5% [2]. After about four years of driving and experiencing major gridlocks around the Pittsburgh area such as on the Parkway West during rush hour, I believe traffic congestion is a severe problem as its causes lead to costly effects on individual households, the economy, and the environment.

The effects of traffic congestion include direct and indirect costs to individual car commuting households and to the overall economy, and higher emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants into the atmosphere. The Centre for Economics and Business Research in the United Kingdom (UK) sponsored a report released in July of 2014 by INRIX, a driving intelligence company that sells traffic analytics and connected car service platforms, entitled “The future economic and environmental costs of gridlock in 2030.” This report details why traffic congestion is such a serious problem not just for the US, but for the global economy and environment.

Direct costs refer to the value of fuel and time wasted and indirect costs are concerned with the increased cost of doing business. In regards to individual households in the United States (US), the average annual cost due to traffic congestion was $1,736 in 2013, and is projected to increase to $2,301 in 2030, a 33% change [3]. In addition, the economy-wide combined costs are expected to increase by 50% in this time frame as “the cumulative costs, over the 17 years (2013 to 2030), is estimated to reach $2.8 trillion for the US alone. [3]” Lastly, traffic congestion forces vehicles to idle and consume fuel which in turn results in higher greenhouse gas emissions, leading to poorer air quality. For the US, the average amount of hours wasted and fuel consumed per household in 2013 was 22 hours and 39.53 liters. The environment suffers greatly as “vehicle idling releases 15,434 kilotons of CO [Carbon Monoxide] equivalent into the atmosphere across the UK, France, Germany and the US every year. [3]” These levels contribute to climate change, which shortens water supply levels and alters weather patterns. Traffic congestion takes a toll on more than just the individual driver and his or her pocket or schedule, but with new breakthroughs in assistive automotive technology, the individual cars themselves can help prevent major traffic jams and gridlocks.
YELLOW LIGHT: CAN VEHICULAR NETWORKS ELIMINATE OR REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION?
Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs), or just ‘vehicular networks’, will solve the problem of traffic congestion. In a PlOS ONE article, a website for peer-reviewed scientific studies, entitled “Increasing Intelligence in Inter-Vehicle Communications to Reduce Traffic Congestions: Experiments in Urban and Highway Environments,” the authors explain that these vehicle networks are ways in which “vehicles are equipped with wireless communication and processing capabilities” [4]. These facets allow cars to create mobile networks as they travel along major roads and highways. This technology is based off of the infantile Global Positioning System (GPS) in applications in cell phones such as Google Maps, but utilizes built-in machinery in the physical vehicle to communicate with other cars with similar technology. Some of the physical components of this technology include “an on-board computer, wireless communication devices, sensors and navigation systems” [4] to assist the driver in real-time, updating him/her with traffic, weather, and road conditions. However, vehicular networks have more applications than just real-time traffic updates; the three main features include security, such as the traffic jam application, entertainment, such as Internet access in the car, and driver assistance, which can help the driver locate travel necessities such as gas stations or hotels. By increasing vehicle intelligence, cars possessing VANETs will be able to communicate with each other, updating the driver with the best route, therefore reducing congestion.

Given the way this technology works, I believe that vehicle networks will reduce traffic congestion and subsequently reduce its effects on each household, the economy, and the environment. The pros and cons associated with this technology are numerous, but in my own and other scientists’ opinions such as car tech expert Doug Newcomb, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. The pros of this technology are displayed through the results of a study done by the same author who wrote the aforementioned article. In this research, the team used what they called “INtelligent protocol of CongestIon DETection”, or INCIDEnT. The system is comprised of four main components: Artificial Neural Network, Detection, and Classification of Congestion, Information Dissemination, and Exchanging Routes [4]. Simply, these are the core elements in establishing a vehicle network, one which can report data to the driver and the researchers.

The study had four potential criteria INCIDEnT was tested to report through a realistic computer simulation of the congestion in downtown Manhattan: “Success rate: the rate of congestion correctly detected by the classification system; Trip time: the average travel time of all vehicles from point of origin to destination; CO emission: total amount of CO emissions produced during the journey of the vehicles; Fuel consumption: total amount of fuel consumption of vehicles moving from their point of origin to their destination” [4]. INCIDEnt had a success rate of 100%, trip time was shortened by 9%, CO emissions were reduced by 35%, and fuel consumption was reduced by 8% [4]. The primary positive effect of this vehicle network is that it directly addresses traffic congestion and its ripple effects. Taking a real world approach to these figures, I contend that this technology will make working class commuters’ lives less stressful by having shorter trips, reduce the ever increasing harmful effects of greenhouse gas emissions, and save households money from wasted fuel and boost businesses’ profits with faster deliveries. This is important to me and to every commuter because I have been driving for four years and have missed important family events due to gridlocks. Also, engineers are concerned with this issue as it will cost the US almost $3 trillion, adding to the insurmountable debt. Although this technology seems to be a promising innovation, there are a few downsides involved.

The cons associated with vehicular networks describe how this technology may be far off from becoming a reality. First, this technology is a long way off from being implemented; not every car on the road will have this technology, just as every car is not capable of self-driving. This is primarily due to drivers not wanting to pay for something they can vaguely get for free on their phone, but most new models of cars are starting to have this technology built-in, not requiring an extra purchase. GPS applications such as Google Maps are the infantile versions of this technology and are free to use, but are less accurate and unreliable. Lastly, this technology has the potential to become obsolete as self-driving cars can replace human variability when driving, but these cars must also have some form of vehicular network to communicate with similar self-driving cars. Although the negative effects of this technology are numerous, I believe that if every automobile manufacturer implements these systems into their new models, then traffic congestion and its effects will be greatly reduced. A specific example of a VANET and car expert Doug Newcomb’s perspective on this example, concur with my opinion that this technology will greatly reduce traffic congestion and save the environment and economy from harmful effects of congestion and save everyone more money in the long run.

GREEN LIGHT: INRIX REVOLUTIONIZES DRIVING INTELLIGENCE WITH XD TRAFFIC
INRIX XD Traffic, a product from the previously mentioned company, is a specific example of how a vehicular network operates. XD Traffic, a real-time traffic information system integrated in the vehicle network of a car, has data on major roads, highways, ramps, interchanges, and even city and secondary streets, twice as many roads that has been available before with GPS applications [5]. A more specific example of implementation of this technology is Audi Connect, a new system that provides real-time traffic updates utilizing INRIX’s XD Traffic technology; all 2015 Audi Connect vehicles had XD Traffic integrated in their systems. In regards to this example, Anupam Malhotra, Senior Manager of Connected Vehicles for Audi of America said, “The addition of INRIX XD Traffic to the Audi connect suite of services gives Audi drivers one more valuable tool to assist with the unavoidable challenges that come with everyday driving… The dynamic flow of traffic information means customers can count on their Audi vehicles to help them find the best route to their destination” [6]. INRIX XD Traffic is already a reality and more automobile manufacturers should incorporate this technology in their new models.

Vehicle networks like INRIX XD Traffic should be made more available due to their potential to eliminate or reduce traffic congestion. In an article titled “How Tech Can Stop ‘Car-Maggedon’” from PC Magazine, Doug Newcomb argues that vehicle networks and other car technology are necessary in the near future if countries want to eliminate the costs associated with traffic congestion. He uses the same INRIX study and report that I previously used to describe the costly effects of traffic congestion on individuals, economies, and the environment. In support of my opinion on vehicle networks he says, “connected car technology could further help ease gridlock in the coming years via technologies ranging from real-time traffic management using Bluetooth to vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication” [7]. In contrast, I partially disagree with him when he says:

“Some feel the creep of technology into the car, such as driver assists taking over more of the behind-the-wheel tasks, is a threat to the future of the automobile. But I would argue that the benefits that can come from this tech makeover— including less time, fuel, and lives lost—outweigh the downsides if the makeover ends up cutting down on traffic” [7].

I agree with him that some technology like VANETs should be in every car and that their benefits outweigh their disadvantages, but society will not be willing to accept giving up control of driving completely. Implementing technology like XD Traffic is not a big deal for drivers since they still have control of the vehicle. Self-driving cars take away the freedom of driving; to me and many others, there is nothing better than driving with all the windows down on a summer night, listening to the radio. If there was a balance between totally autonomous and manual cars, but they still included vehicle networks to combat the severe problem of traffic congestion, then more consumers would be more willing to purchase these vehicles, including myself. Society, that is, every person who drives a vehicle, would be more willing to accept this technology and discover its importance if they still had control of the car, which is why VANETs are the perfect solution to traffic congestion; they allow the driver to enjoy driving, but make it so they waste less time and money stuck in gridlocks.

CONCLUSION: VANETS ARE THE FIRST STEP IN SOLVING TRAFFIC CONGESTION, BUT WILL NOT BE THE LAST
Traffic congestion is a problem that is important to individual commuters, transportation engineers, and society, since highways are the main method of shipping for our economy’s businesses. With its direct and indirect costs, the problem will only worsen with time. VANETs will be a major stepping stone solution to traffic congestion, reducing time, fuel, and pollutants. Through systems such as INRIX’s XD Traffic, drivers still get the fun of driving but reduce all the harmful effects of vehicle idling. I agree with Doug Newcomb that the pros outweigh the cons of increased vehicle intelligence, but many consumers will not want to purchase self-driving cars until they are 100% full proof. Lastly, these systems will continue to grow as more cars are being updated with this technology and it will greatly reduce traffic congestion and its effects.
SOURCES

[1] “2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure” American Society of Civil Engineers. Accessed 10.28.2016. http://infrastructurereportcard.org/a/#p/home

[2] “2012 Urban Congestion Trends Operations: The Key to Reliable Travel” U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration 4.2016. Accessed 10.28.2016. http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop13016/fhwahop13016.pdf

[3] “The future economic and environmental costs of gridlock in 2030” INRIX Report 7.2016. Accessed 10.29.2016. http://inrix.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Whitepaper_Cebr-Cost-of-Congestion.pdf

[4] Meneguette, Rodolfo I., et al. “Increasing Intelligence In Inter-Vehicle Communications To Reduce Traffic Congestions: Experiments In Urban And Highway Environments.” Plos ONE 11.8.2016. Accessed 10.29.2016.

[5] “INRIX XD Traffic” INRIX Accessed 10.30.2016 http://inrix.com/xd-traffic/

[6] “Audi and INRIX debut online traffic services at CES 2015” INRIX Press Releases 1.5.2015. Accessed 10.30.16. http://inrix.com/press/audi-inrix-debut-online-traffic-services-ces-2015/

[7] Newcomb, Doug. “How Tech Can Stop ‘Car-Maggedon’” PC Magazine 2014. Accessed 10.30.2016.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank the writing center, specifically Lydia Blandford, because even though I only had a little bit of the essay written, she still helped me to stay on the right track and had some helpful ideas of where to go with the paper. Additionally, a special thanks to my girlfriend, Katherine Chomko, for motivating me to get a start on this paper after a busy Thursday night football game with the Pitt Band. Lastly,

I would like to thank my parents for talking with me over the weekend and reminding me that I should always do the best I can.

University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering

11.01.2016