(57) A vehicle information system comprises a series of transmitters 10, located at intervals along a track or road and mounted in or on existing road structures such as cat's eyes, street lights or the like. In association each of said transmitters 10 there is provided a vehicle detection device 12 for detecting a vehicle on the track or road as it approaches or passes the transmitter unit, a data storage device 14 and a proximity sensor 16.
A receiver module 18 is provided in or on a vehicle 20 and comprises a receiver 22, a decoder 24 for decoding or interpreting signals received from a transmitter 10 by the receiver 22, and a display device 26 for displaying received information.
The storage device 14 associated with each of the transmitters 10 stores permanent information relating to the stretch of track or road by or on which the transmitter 10 is located, such as a warning that there is a sharp bend in the road ahead and that the speed limit on the road at the bend is reduced. Each of the transmitter modules may also be arranged to determine and transmit information relating to non-permanent and non-foreseeable events, such as the presence of a queue of stationary or very slow moving vehicles on the associated stretch of track or road.
In use, a vehicle detection device 12 detects the presence of a vehicle as it approaches or passes the associated transmitter module. When a vehicle is detected, the permanent information stored in the storage device 14 is retrieved and transmitted to the receiver 22 in the vehicle 20 and displayed on the display device 26 to the vehicle driver. Further, if a queue of slow moving traffic or other obstruction has been detected by the transmitter modules along the stretch oftrack or road under consideration, such information is also transmitted to the receiver module 18 in the vehicle 20 for display to the driver.