ROUTE GUIDANCE AS A JUST-IN-TIME MULTIAGENT TASK

This article discusses a prototype of a route guidance system able to cope with both long- and short-term navigation problems. The system pl ans the route using a classical shortest path algorithm working on an ''on-board'' road map knowledge base, and uses information acquired th rough a radio channel to activate route replanning. In this case the n ew plan is computed not only on the basis of the car and world state a t the start of the replanning, but also on replanning time duration. A n estimate of car and world variations during the replanning is used t o build up a route that the driver can safely perform. The system buil ds a local world description by integrating the information computed b y a boundary detection algorithm with the information stored in the ro ad map knowledge base. This model is used to generate a car trajectory and to supply the driver with information. Although the time spent to complete the trajectory does not allow the car to be driven at a reas onable speed the boundary detection algorithm gives information that i ntegrates road map information and a car model to support the driver w ith road descriptions and guidance suggestions.