Visual Integration of Multiple Traffic Information for Online Map Design

Abstract

Online maps play an important role in providing traffic information services for users. The complexity of urban road network and the increase of traffic information have encouraged diversified demands for traffic maps, and provoked great conflict between growing visualization requirements of complex information and the limited map display space. Based on a comparison of road classification and attribute integration of typical online map platforms in different scales, this study provided an optimized design at the aim of exploring better visual integration methods of multiple traffic information for online maps. A user test was conducted, which proved the validity of the integrating design methods in showing that the design strategy of this study can represent more traffic information in different dimensions in a user-accepted manner. Both the design scheme and other results can provide reference for the elements configuration and visual integration of future online map design.