Intelligent vehicle-highway system

Abstract

An intelligent vehicle-highway system utilizes a transmitter installed on the vehicle for communicating with modules having memory elements for storing site-specific information, a receiver for receiving an enabling signal from the transceiver on the vehicle, and a transmitter for making the site-specific information available to the operator of the vehicle. The data storage system is installed in the vicinity of the roadway, such as alongside of the roadway, overhead of the roadway, or preferably embedded in the roadway itself so as to ensure communciation with vehicles within predetermined lanes. In a highly advantageous embodiment, the site-specific data can be changed by reprogramming an erasable memory with a memory programmer, which may be installed on a programming vehicle which is authorized to travel on the roadway for the purpose of reprogramming the data within the data storage systems. Such reprogramming may use access codes which prevent tampering with the stored data. Alternatively, reprogramming of the data storage systems can be performed with the use of local transmitters controlled by a centralized agency. The local transmitters can also communicate directly with the vehicles on the roadway to provide rapid communication of matters of interest to all, such as emergency situations.