Nov/Dec 2003

Further consolidation appears to be in prospect in the world of real-time traffic monitoring. Trafficmaster already has a stake in French-based Mediamobile, which measures traffic flows, and is also involved in a joint venture with Italian-based Targa, part of the Fiat group.

Now its main UK-based rival ITIS is taking control of Estimotion, a US-based traffic flow monitoring specialist with a research division in Israel. Estimotion's technology includes use of mobile "probes" (reminiscent of ITIS's floating vehicle data) as well as fixed sensors.

By contrast, in the UK, Trafficmaster uses a network of 7,500 roadside sensors to monitor traffic flow. But its Targa operation involves what is described as a "floating car data network".

However, using fixed or mobile sensors is not the only way to measure traffic flows. In Holland, consultancy LogicaCMG has just completed a project in the province of Noord-Brabant that involves capturing data anonymously from mobile phone users travelling along main roads.

 

The findings were analysed by the Goudappel Coffeng traffic research and consultancy, and are said to have been found "at least as reliable" as information gathered by the Rijkswaterstaat (Holland's Department of Public Works) by means of a loop detection system built into these roads. The attraction is of course that GSM monitoring requires no costly infrastructure.

The LogicalCMG trials were conducted by its Mobile Transport Services division in cooperation with Scottish-based Applied Generics and telecom operator Vodafone.

A significant difference between this approach and the one involving dedicated sensors in known vehicle fleets (such as with ITIS's floating vehicle data) is that these fleets have been chosen for their wide coverage and regular operation, whereas mobile phone users' movements may be arbitrary. The key would therefore appear to lie in the density of coverage.

While this debate may roll on, practical applications of existing traffic information systems continue to emerge. ITIS, for instance, now provides both historic and real-time traffic flow data to external customers. A classic application is seen in the NavTech digital map datasets offered by Kingswood MapMechanics. These have real-world speeds attached to segments of road, and they vary according to different times of day.

More recently, Kingswood has also done some bespoke programming to make it easier for ITIS to deliver real-time congestion maps to clients such as local authorities over the Web.

The dividing line between traffic information systems and telematics in general is getting thinner. Although Trafficmaster sold its fleet management operations to Cybit last year, it still runs its SmartNav navigation system, and also controls US-based telematics operator Teletrac, which specialises in tracking within urban areas. ITIS meanwhile has a vehicle tracking operation called Navtrak.