Collecting Data in Advanced Traveler Information System Context: Travel Simulator Platform Versus Route Choice Driving Simulator

The study of travellers behaviour in ATIS (Advanced Travellers Information Systems) contexts is a crucial task in order to properly simulate phenomena like as the compliance with the information, the route choice in presence of information, etc. A correct simulation of these phenomena is crucial in appraising ATIS options. Observations of travellers behaviours are often made with reference to simulated environments. SP (Stated Preferences) techniques are generally applied. In literature two main types of tools for SP experiments under ATIS are found: driving-simulators (DSs) and travel-simulators (TSs). Both methods are computer-based. DSs are characterised by a greater realism, provided that the respondents are asked to drive in order to implement their travel choices, as it happens in the real world. In TSs, travel choices are entered after the description of the options and characteristics is presented, without any driving. TSs compensate some lack of realism with a minor cost and with less burden for the respondents, thus allowing for many more trials by the same respondent. In this work both the tools have been employed in order to collect data for analyses on travellers’ behaviours in ATIS contexts. The same network has been simulated by using both the tools and two very similar experiments have been carried out. The respondents’ reactions to the same information dispatched in the two environments have been registered and analysed. Results are here discussed in order to: compare the observations from the two experiments; verify the internal consistency of the collected data; discuss the peculiarities of the two data-collecting tools.