Tom Tom LIVE Traffic - how does it work ?

nad_from_london · Occasional Visitor Joined: Nov 20, 2009 Posts: 1

Hi,

could anyone explain how exactly TOM TOM receives real-time traffic information? I understand there are feeds coming in from news stations, but do they have monitors out on the road as well ?

I was in shop recently and they said that the AA supply information on the location and speed of their vans to the GPS services providers.

Does the TOM TOM LIVE service also cover other roads apart from Motorways and A roads ?

How accurate are the reported travel delays ?

Thanks!

DennisN · Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:17 pm Post subject:

You really, really need to ask TomTom this question. Many of us would like to have a definitive answer to it!

But before you get too fired up by it, you might like to read this on how it doesn't work sometimes!
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

Darren · Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:37 pm Post subject:

TomTom have two traffic services, the free RDS-TMC one and the subscription HD Traffic one.

The free one is available using a TMC Antenna with no extra costs or via a connected Bluetooth Mobile where subscription and data costs apply.

HD Traffic is available on some 'LIVE' models including all the x40 models (540,740,940) and an XL LIVE model. This uses a built-in GSM radio to pull data over the air and is explained here.

HD Traffic is part of the LIVE connected services which require a subscription to receive.
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Darren Griffin

DennisN · Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:04 pm Post subject:

I think he wanted to know where TomTom get the Traffic information from (e.g. somebody told him AA van movements).
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

Darren · Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:14 pm Post subject:

TomTom's TMC service garners data from iTIS who collate data from a network of sensors in fleet vehicles and roadside sensors. This is combined with Highways Agency data.

IIRC it covers M-Ways and major A-Roads only.
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Darren Griffin

gatorguy6996 · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 4:00 am Post subject:

Well, this is the way their certification describes it:

It has been defined for a service which provides up-to-date traffic information. To generate this information about the traffic situation, the service provider uses the following sources of information:

Historic data of the respective average speed in relation to the date and time for a road section
Floating Phone Data (FPD) –data from mobile phone users making calls while driving
Data from fleet management systems
Data from third bodies (e.g. traffic control centre, TMC)
These data are available as anonymous information, processed under plausibility aspects within the course of data fusion and provided to the users of appropriate compatible terminal equipment.

Now here's the terms and what is expected of TomTom's HD traffic to retain the TSC/NavCert certificate (80016).

Precise, reliable traffic information:
Random field tests verify that the traffic information communicated by the navigation device reflect the actual situation on the roads. Features assessed include the verification of road congestions announced by the system (length and location), verification of the announced delay times and the delay with which the system announces that an area of road congestion has cleared.
Coverage of all highways and N-roads:
Cooperation with traffic control centres and numerous field tests in Germany validate the provision of reliable data for both highways and N-roads.
Updates every 3 minutes:
An on-site audit is conducted to verify whether the procedure used to process the collected traffic information is also capable of complying with the 3-minute real-time traffic update in extreme cases. In addition, system performance is tested and assessed with the help of various types of navigation equipment.

See?. . . all you had to do was ask Cheers!

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EricWB · Frequent Visitor Joined: Jan 31, 2007 Posts: 310

I don't have a pressing need for traffic information in the way Dennis does, but I think I see the cameras here and there that Traffic Master use, they are painted blue and overlook many main roads and motorways from bridges or otherwise special masts.

If these are for Traffic master has anyone been able to compare HD Traffic & Traffic Master side by side? If so how do they compare?

MrT · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 9:59 am Post subject:

Darren · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:08 am Post subject:

MrT · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:21 am Post subject:

I was under the impression that the TMC data and GPRS data were different sources of information rather than just a different delivery mechanism?
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Drivelux

DennisN · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:05 am Post subject:

In my case, Traffic Master and HD Traffic are different animals. My Traffic Master Freeway works from the results of those blue cameras, which are sensing the speed of passing traffic. Above a certain speed, they send back an "all clear" signal, below that trigger speed, they send back "slow" or "stationary" information. That info is gathered from all the overhead cameras and issued out via roadside transmitters as a message to my Traffic Master, when I pass the transmitter. I understand it reports traffic problems in a radius of 10 miles on my route. It's limited to Motorways and some A roads. It does NOT tell me of traffic 30 miles away - it'll tell me about that when I get to within 10 miles of it.

So comparing HD and Traffic Master is not a useful exercise as they do a different job. If HD were completely reliable and up to date, in some cases I'd be using a diversion long before my Traffic Master could say I'm less than 10 miles from some horrible. Both systems are useful, but NOT infallible - the human element of updating simply can't manage it.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

Darren · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:06 am Post subject:

AndyVaughan · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:10 am Post subject:

IIRC they are the same data - when we were troubleshooting the RDS-TMC issues with the 1 minute delay bug I was switching between the two to grab screenshots to demonstrate to TT that RDS-TMC wasn't working. At no point did they mention that it was different data, they gave the impression that the two systems were using the same source data.

But, then again, like Darren, I could also be wrong Laughing Out Loud

MrT · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:34 am Post subject:

TrafficTV downloads data for the whole of the UK using Trafficmaster so you can see the speed or delays and images from the CCTV cameras for the whole journey. It can also follow your position on the map using GPS.
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Drivelux

DennisN · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 3:08 pm Post subject:

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