Automobile News

Navigation systems are quickly becoming an indispensable accessory for many car owners. Gone are the days of getting lost or asking for directions, because by using an in-car GPS system, you can simply enter your destination and the optimal route is automatically plotted. Many navigation systems support voice recognition so that you only need to utter your destination for the perfect route to be planned. Then, without worrying about which turn or exit to take, you can simply follow the navigation device’s instructions and enjoy your drive. Navigation device manufacturers, such as TomTom or Garmin, continue to add new features to make your driving experience even more pleasurable and carefree. Now researchers are hard at work devising a new technology which analyzes traffic jams in real time, and then computes routes to avoid the heaviest congestion.

The project is called the “Congestion Avoidance Dynamic Routing Engine” or CADRE and employs artificial intelligence to analyze real time incoming traffic information. The software takes a look at driving patterns and can recognize when large amounts of vehicles come to a halt or even slowdown. Moreover, it also uses this information to predict where congestion can occur before it happens. This type of tool could be a godsend for the morning commuter who constantly has to listen to radio reports, that aren’t up to date or live, in order to decide the optimal route to work. Although the technology is still in development, the project managers say we could see its use in in-car navigation systems in less than 18 months.