Location technology specialist, TomTom has announced that its traffic information service is now available to automakers with enhanced flexibility that can be used to further optimize and help reduce data consumption.
TomTom Traffic’s new Flexible Radius feature allows automakers to dynamically change how traffic information is delivered, based on the driver’s current route. Flexible Radius significantly reduces traffic data consumption, as well as the associated costs, without compromising on its quality. The new system is also fully configurable, and adaptable to the automaker’s requirements and local market needs. Currently available in more than 75 countries in Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, TomTom’s Traffic service provides accurate information about congestion and expected delays on a planned route, helping drivers make better decisions that save time, reduce stress and improve safety. It is an accurate, real-time service, driven by more than 600 million connected devices, that collects data on over 2.1bn miles (3.5bn km) of roadways per day.
“We used to deliver traffic data in a large radius around the vehicle, but many drives are shorter than 50km (31 miles). With the new Flexible Radius feature, we’re focusing data delivery on only the relevant traffic information, leading to lower data consumption, and significantly lower costs,” explained Ralf-Peter Schäfer, head of TomTom Traffic. “Although car manufacturers globally will benefit, our customers in North America will find this change particularly attractive. That’s because traffic information is traditionally broadcasted in the USA, rather than being delivered via a cellular data connection.”
TomTom is also collaborating in a public-private initiative with the EU Data Task Force (DTF) on a proof of concept to improve road safety by sharing vehicle and infrastructure data between countries and manufacturers. In the DTF proof of concept, vehicle-generated data such as alerts, along with infrastructure information, will be shared using a decentralized data collaboration architecture. TomTom plays a critical role by taking these datasets, processing them, and delivering them back to other vehicles via its live Traffic services, and to road authorities.
Schäfer noted, “Improving road safety in Europe is high on the agenda of the EU and national governments, and it’s also high on ours. Our vision is of safer roads, free of congestion and emissions. Our involvement in this proof of concept demonstrates our commitment to delivering live safety services for our customers, and our pride in being the first to collaborate with automakers and governments to make the roads safer.”
