TravTek Evaluation Rental and Local User Study

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TravTek Evaluation Rental and Local User Study

V. W. Inman / R. N. Fleischman / R. R. Sanchez / C. L. Porter / L. A. Thelen

The Rental User Study and Local User Study were conducted as part of the TravTek Operational Test Evaluation. TravTek was an operational field test of an advanced traveler information and traffic management system (ATIS/ATMS). As part of the test, 75 TravTek equipped vehicles were rented to Orlando visitors. Other TravTek equipped vehicles were supplied to Orlando residents who were selected in part because they compile above average milage in their daily driving. There were 2,896 TravTek rentals that averaged 4 to 6 days. Fifty-one local users were each given use of a TravTek vehicle for approximately 2 months. The focus of these evaluation studies was to obtain user perception and performance data related to use of system components in the TravTek vehicles. The vehicles were equipped to provide route planning, route guidance, and a data base of local services and attractions. The in-vehicle system included moving map and simplified turn-by-turn guidance displays supplemented by a synthesized voice guidance and traffic report feature. Questionnaires, debriefings, and automated in-vehicle data logs were used to gather evaluation data. Measures described in this report include: perceptions of utility, ease of use, safety, driver workload, frequency of use of system functions and features, and estimates of willingness-to-pay for the TravTek system as a whole, as well as for selected features.