Mar/April 2009

Details of steep roads have been added to the map data available from Ordnance Survey for use in satellite navigation systems and other business applications.

The information now forms part of the supplementary data available for OS's ITN (Integrated Transport Network) data, which also includes details of road widths heights and weight limits, where appropriate.

Although data on gradients may not always be essential to drivers in the same way as height limit data, it may influence their selection of routes, and bad choices can have an adverse effect on fuel consumption.

According to Tom Satterthwaite, senior product manager for transport at OS: 'Hauliers prefer gentle slopes so a lorry can maintain a constant speed. This not only saves fuel but is also safer for the driver. If a satnav system knows where steep roads are, the driver can be routed to avoid them.'

 

It was not clear when we closed for press which satnav suppliers would be the first to take account of this additional data. OS simply states that it 'hopes the information will be used to help route truckers on the most appropriate and fuel-efficient roads.' However, building it into satnav routing algorithms was not expected to cause major headaches for the suppliers.