Principles, Issues and Viewpoints of Traveler Information in a Multimodal Context - Human-Computer Interactions in Transport - page 15

vary how much the navigational system intervenes so that the tool can adjust itself
both to the cognitive competencies of the user and to the mobility situation.
As such, four intervention levels have been differentiated:
- Passive mode : MobilUrb would only supply help at the request of travelers.
This mode corresponds to the traveler wishing to keep his freedom of circulation,
and movement.
- Pro-active mode : the terminal, depending on the interventions it gets and the
information that it would receive via GPS, would automatically be triggered in a
crisis situation to offer alternative solutions. At any moment, it could unplug itself to
regain its autonomy.
- Tutorial mode would guide the traveler from start to end. MobilUrb would
take care of the traveler's journey, remotely video-guided via the intermediary of
information that would reach him in real time. This mode would satisfy travelers
who are used to following a plan of action to the letter.
- Personal travel assistant mode (or distress call) would be piloted by the
mobility station by resorting to the help of a physical person who would indicate the
way to them and reassure the person. This is the highest degree of intervention that
is directed in priority at totally disorientated people.
This project has unfortunately not yet been followed up on for the
materialization of the multimodal box, which could have raised interesting issues
linked to the design and evaluation of man−machine interfaces.
1.5.6. Traveler information applied to the bicycle mode
We could not close this section on transport research projects without
mentioning the bicycle mode, which is making a strong comeback in urban centers
thanks to the development of cycle hire (Vélo'V in Lyon, Vélib' in Paris). The
national research agency (ANR) has thus financed the VIC - Vi(ll)e Cycle project,
which aims to rethink the bicycle as it is and to better integrate it into the system of
global mobility. The bicycle has evolved little since its creation and, in contrast to
the automobile, does not benefit much from new technologies, particularly in terms
of safety, assisted movement (electric power) or even steering. Furthermore,
information given to the cyclist is practically non-existent. In France in 2009, only a
single site in the commune of Tours offered bicycle routes, allowing users to choose
between speed and optimal security conditions, such as using cycle paths
(http://www.geovelo.fr/).