Relevance assessment of motorway traffic related VACS

To identify VACS, which may indeed contribute to the traffic management objective of improving traffic efficiency and releasing motorway networks from the significant congestion problems, their features and traffic flow impact have been studied via SWOT (Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats) analysis.
SWOT has not been used to analyse the VACS as standalone products, but to provide an insight into the strengths and weaknesses of their functions from a motorway traffic management perspective. More specifically, the use of SWOT allowed to:

  • Unfold VACS strengths, i.e. characteristics, which, if appropriately deployed by a traffic management system, may assist in achieving the traffic flow efficiency improvement objective; and weaknesses, i.e. characteristics, which may impose barriers to the achievement of this objective.
  • Identify threats, i.e. external factors that can impose further barriers to the achievement of the traffic flow efficiency improvement objective; and opportunities, i.e. external factors that can enhance the strengths of VACS or mitigate their weaknesses and cope with the threats.

Considering the functions that have been identified as being of main interest from a traffic management perspective, as well as the results of the performed SWOT analyses, it seems that the most promising VACS are:

For more information on the SWOT analysis of the aforementioned VACS, follow the corresponding VACS link above.

Last updated on 24/02/2015.