Privacy implications of the Traffic Probe Message Service

Abstract

The Traffic Probe Message Service will enable traffic managers to gather roadway state data via wireless communication with vehicles. Despite privacy protections specified for the service, it remains vulnerable to inference attacks aimed at reconstructing the path of a vehicle through the roadway. This paper presented a model for evaluating the location privacy in the Traffic Probe Message Service. This model identifies three key areas for improvement in the privacy protection of participating vehicles, including guidelines for the changing of pseudonymous identifiers, for data attributes included in the probe service, and for the placement of roadside equipment.