TomTom and Vodafone Netherlands to develop the world's most advanced travel time information system for the Connected Car
Accurate Travel Time Information for All Roads in the Netherlands
October 27, 2006, Amsterdam: TomTom, the world’s largest navigation solution provider, and Vodafone Netherlands will jointly develop and introduce a breakthrough technology that revolutionises the way people plan their daily journeys. The solution will be available from 2H 2007.
This development will see TomTom’s in house patented technology convert anonymous, raw GSM signaling data - supplied by Vodafone Netherlands’ network - into accurate, real-time, information on the speed and direction of cars traveling throughout the road network of the Netherlands. The technology has been tested and proven on a regional scale and this will be the world’s first nationwide, commercial deployment.
This revolutionary technology competes with traditional ways of collecting traffic information like induction loops and cameras. It provides a much more accurate, faster and more detailed picture of the actual travel times than current solutions. The total investments are a fraction of the current, road side equipment based solutions.
The information will initially be available to TomTom subscribers exclusively. The Travel Time Information will be distributed using Vodafone’s GPRS Network in the Netherlands. All current and future TomTom users will be able to benefit from the service once it is available.
Compared to RDS TMC based systems the TomTom travel time information service will have the following benefits. Firstly, it covers all major roads of the Netherlands as opposed to just the motorways. Secondly, it will contain door to door travel time information rather than just the length of a traffic jam. Thirdly, the TomTom navigation device can accurately compare various alternatives for total travel time and can (automatically) calculate the best alternative. As a result, TomTom users are always smart on the move - even in congested areas.
The solution will be made available for consumers but also for road authorities and businesses, who may use it for dynamic traffic control measures and improved fleet management.
“This is an important development for our customers and an important step towards the truly connected car. It marks a significant breakthrough in mobility management and route guidance. We are convinced that we will improve the daily travel experience of our users. By working with Vodafone to bring the granularity of information from their mobile network to solve everyday navigation needs we will redefine traffic mobility in the Netherlands. This is an industry first and we’re pleased to work with the best in class, innovative mobile network operator in the Netherlands,” Harold Goddijn, TomTom’s chief executive officer comments. “We are looking forward to signing further deals with leading operators across Europe and the U.S.”
“Being in a traffic jam is amongst the most irritating things that burdens our daily lives. Therefore, the chance to work with the team at TomTom on this solution, knowing that it will help people make the most of their time was an obvious choice”, Guy Laurence, CEO Vodafone Netherlands comments. “The increasing popularity of devices like personal navigation system also offers other business potential for us, especially given the massive investment we have in our network in the Netherlands. However, for now, I would just be happy to put a smile on customers’ faces by helping them get out of the traffic jams they find themselves in on a regular basis.”
Benefits of the new traffic services include:
- Easy round the clock traffic data covering virtually all roads
- Smart and simple information gathered from Vodafone’s mobile network
- Accurate journey times instead of traffic jam queues only
- Timely notification of reliable time of arrival
- Real time traffic information that is never more than three minutes old
- Reliable information that is not dependent on road or weather conditions
- All traffic information is gathered anonymously
Detailed information about the technology is available on www.mobility.tomtom.com
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