Vehicle Information And Communication System
The VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) is broadcast only in the Japanese market and is similar to the TMC used outside of Japan. VICS gives countrywide coverage and broadcasts of real-time traffic and weather information.
The VICS supplies information to enable the navigation computer to re-route the navigation guidance or to inform the vehicle driver of traffic conditions in the vehicles vicinity.
Information is provided to the system through three methods:
- RF (radio frequency) microwave transmission
- Infra-red transmission
- FM multiplex transmissions.
In certain areas the information is transmitted using an Infra-Red signal or alternately a RF (Radio Frequency) microwave signal, both of which are received by the VICS beacon antenna. Additional information is transmitted on the FM wavelength and is received by the FM antenna. The received FM signal is passed to the navigation computer via an RF (radio frequency) antenna amplifier.
The RF transmissions are generally transmitted from road side beacons mainly on expressways. The information transmitted is as follows:
- Traffic congestion
- Travel time to next intersection
- Traffic conditions in surrounding areas and expressway turn offs
- Traffic accidents
- Speed limits
- Lane regulations
- Tire change
- Parking availability at expressway service areas and parking areas.
Infra-Red transmissions are transmitted from road side beacons on major trunk roads. The information transmitted is:
- Traffic congestion and travel time
- Traffic accidents
- Breakdowns
- Road works restrictions
- Parking availability.
FM transmissions are broadcast as part of the FM multiplex broadcasting system from NHK (Japanese Broadcasting Corporation) FM stations. Information transmitted is:
- Traffic congestion and travel time for wide areas
- Traffic accidents, road works, speed limits and lane restrictions for a wide area.
The traffic data is split from the normal FM transmissions by the diversity antenna module.