Pan-European road traffic information

A traffic information revolution is occurring throughout Europe and the market landscape is about to change radically, writes Hans-Hendrik Puvogel, newly appointed general manager of INRIX Europe.

INRIX, the leading North American provider of traffic data, is bringing innovative technology and approaches to building and delivering next generation road traffic information on a pan-European basis.

Having worked in the navigation business for many years, I was intrigued by the amazing progress that INRIX made in the US traffic data market in just a few short years. When asked to head up INRIX’s rapidly expanding European operations, I jumped at the opportunity.

Strategic partnership

Earlier this year, INRIX announced its launch across 16 European countries via a set of strategic partnerships with ARC Transistance and its leading network of European automobile clubs, commercial vehicle fleets and research organizations. We also have a strategic partnership with ITIS Holdings, the leading UK provider of traffic information.

INRIX’s entry into Europe carries tremendous weight because with a few exceptions, Europe is vastly behind the US in the coverage and quality of traffic speed information. Customers are demanding pan-European services and they want highly scalable infrastructure in operations and delivery. Thanks to INRIX’s expansion in Europe, we are finally going to get there.

INRIX has three key components to its strategy in Europe. First, we’re going to give our global customers one source for traffic information internationally. Much like our US partnership with Clear Channel, INRIX is partnering with ARC Transistance and its leading network of automobile clubs in Europe to offer and distribute ARC’s aggregated traffic incident information to our global customers.

Unified delivery

Second, INRIX and ARC will be the first to offer a comprehensive, unified delivery of data across countries and territories in Europe. In addition to aggregating country-specific traffic incident information via ARC Transistance, INRIX is working with ARC and its automobile club network partners, to develop expanded traffic flow information for major highways, roads and arterials across Europe. Much like the scalable business model that has made INRIX the leading provider of traffic data in North America – INRIX and ARC are building out data by collecting information from GPS-enabled commercial and consumer vehicles, mobile phone devices, traditional road sensor information and cellular GPS data.

Third, since technology innovations are critical to solving key traffic aggregation and distribution issues, INRIX has forged a research and development partner for Europe with TNO (the equivalent to a “MIT-type think tank” in Europe). INRIX is working with the TNO Mobility and Logistics Division, a team of over 150 PhD’s and scientists, to enhance the understanding of the unique traffic systems and markets throughout Europe, as well as to collaborate on enhancing and deploying INRIX’s state-of-the-art, real-time analysis engine to make highly accurate predictions about future traffic conditions.

We intend to launch INRIX Connected Services throughout Europe in 2009-10, enabling auto OEMs, PND manufacturers and mobile operators to easily provide personalized traffic, next generation routing, and a suite of other in-car content services.

It’s exciting to be at the forefront of a new traffic ecosystem in Europe – one that our customers have been wanting for a long time now.

See: INRIX appoints European general manager

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