An Operational Test of a Vehicle Emergency Location Service in Colorado

Alison Brown, Jeremy Siviter, John Kiljan

Abstract:	The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has selected Colorado as a site for an operational test of a vehicle Mayday service. This operational test will evaluate the use of GPS (location) and cellular phone (two-way communication) to provide assistance to travelers in an emergency dispatch area of more than 12,000 square miles in central Colorado. The test will implement 2,000 in-vehicle units using a low cost location device called TIDGETTM, developed by NAVSYS Corporation. The TIDGET reduces the in-vehicle sensor cost by providing raw GPS satellite data to the control center where the vehicle’s location is calculated. The major objectives of the operational test are: to evaluate the impact of the system and response network on emergency response activities, time, and public safety; to evaluate a low cost system that allows users to request roadside assistance; and to identify the necessary structure, responsibili- ties, and service levels of a travel assistance center for commercial operation of the system. The operational test Mayday service will first become available to travelers in mid-1995. The system architecture to be implemented and the operational test program are described in this paper.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 50th Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1994) June 6 - 8, 1994 Antlers Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs, CO
Pages:	93 - 102
Cite this article:	Updated citation: Published in NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation
Full Paper:	ION Members/Non-Members: 1 Download Credit Sign In