Traffic situation prediction apparatus

A traffic situation prediction apparatus for predicting a traffic situation based on traffic situation statistical data created by collecting information on runs of vehicles on roads, the traffic situation prediction apparatus comprising:

• a map information storage storing map information;
• a determination section configured to determine, in response to an update of the map information stored in the map information storage, whether a specific traffic flow effect factor affecting a traffic flow has emerged based on a difference between the map information before and after the update of the map information;
• an effect prediction database storage storing a factor-by-factor traffic flow effect database that predicts an effect of each of various traffic flow effect factors on the traffic flow on a factor-by-factor basis;
• an effect identification section configured to identify the effect on the traffic flow resulting from emergence of the specific traffic flow effect factor by referring to the factor-by-factor traffic flow effect database when the determination section determines that the specific traffic flow effect factor has emerged;
• a traffic information prediction section configured to predict the traffic situation in a specific area by incorporating (i) the effect identified by the effect identification section into (ii) the traffic situation predicted based on the traffic situation statistical data when the determination section determines that the specific traffic flow effect factor has emerged, wherein the specific area is an area where the specific traffic flow effect factor has emerged;
• and
• a statistical data deletion section configured to delete a specific portion of the traffic situation statistical data when the determination section determines that the specific traffic flow effect factor has emerged, wherein the specific portion represents the traffic situation in the specific area before the emergence of the specific traffic flow effect factor,
• wherein:
• the traffic situation statistical data is successively updated after the determination section determines that the specific traffic flow effect factor has emerge and after the traffic information prediction section has predicted the traffic situation in the specific area by incorporating the identified effect into the traffic situation predicted based on the traffic situation statistical data;
• and
• the traffic information prediction section is further configured to predict the traffic situation in the specific area based on the traffic situation statistical data having successively-updated after the emergence of the specific traffic flow effect factor.