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Encyclopedia :
T :
TR :
TRA :
Traffic Message Channel |
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Traffic Message ChannelTraffic Message Channel, or TMC, is a technology for delivering traffic and travel information to drivers. It is typically digitally coded using the FM-RDS system on conventional FM radio broadcasts. It can also be transmitted on DAB or satellite radio.It allows silent delivery of high quality accurate, timely and relevant information, in the language chosen by the user and without interrupting normal services. Services, both public and commercial, are now operational in many European countries. When data is integrated directly into a navigation system, this gives the driver the option to take an alternative route to avoid the traffic incident. How it worksEach traffic incident is sent as a TMC message. One message consists of an event code and a location code in addition to time details. The message is coded according to the Alert C standard. It contains a list of about 1460 events which can be translated by a TMC receiver into the language of the user. Location code tables are maintained on a national level and assign numbers to locations on the road network. The source of traffic information is typically police, traffic cameras, loops, Floating Car Data and others. TMC Services in EuropeFollowing countries provide a TMC service: AustriaIn Austria, ORF is broadcasting the free service on the radio channels Ö3, FM4 and Ö1 supported by the Federal Ministry for Traffic, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT). ASFINAG is responsible for the location table, currently in version 1.0 and plan an updated version 2.0. BelgiumA free service TIC-VL is available in the Flanders region. It is provided by Verkeerscentrum Antwerpen and broadcast by VRT on Radio 2. In the southern part of Belgium, Wallonia, a free test service is broadcast by RTBF on Classic 21. The service is from the Centre PEREX of the Ministère de l’Équipement et des Transports (MET) in collaboration with TMC4U. Tritel creates the location tables by order of the regional communities. Since December 2004 the broadcasted messages are according to location table version 1.4b, in which N-roads are added. A new version v1.5 is under development. Czech RepublicCurrently, there is no regular service in the Czech Republic. A test service, coordinated by CEDA, was carried out in 2003. Regular broadcasting are to be launched in mid 2005. The service will initially address the Prague city area and some major surrounding roads. ATT is the planned service provider of the free service. CEDA is also responsible for the location table (current version is 1.36). DenmarkThe free TMC service DK-TMC in Denmark is operated by Vejdirektoratet or DRD (Danish Road Directorate). It is broadcast on DR3 and DR4. They are also responsible for the location tables. Since October 2003 version 6.0 of the location database is transmitted, but already a backwards compatible version 7.0 has been certified by the TMC Forum in June 2004. In case of changes they will transmit both the old and the new location code. FinlandA free service is available in Finland serving principally the south of the country. Both the service and the location tables are provided by the FINNRA, the Finnish National Road Administration. The current version is 1.31. FranceBoth a free public service and a commercial service are available in France. The free service is provided by the motorway operators and provides information on their toll-roads. The toll-road operators are AREA, ASF, ATMB, Cofiroute, ESCOTA, SANEF, SAPN, SAPRR, SFTRF and SMTPC. The TMC data is on the 107.7 traffic channel so it can only be received along the motorways. The commercial service V-Trafic is provided by Mediamobile. It is a partnership between TDF, Renault, Trafficmaster and Cofiroute. The service, which replaces the previous Visionaute service, is transmitted on the frequencies of France Inter and can be received nationally. It includes the information from the motorways but also on Paris congestion. The service was first open but it is now a pay-service, but it is not encrypted: by using a different location table number they can restrict the use. This method is TMC Forum 's Interim encryption method. They have about 60000 customers. Location tables are released by the government agency SETRA and includes about 20000 locations. The current version 0.4 includes both inside Paris and outside Paris. GermanyIn Germany both a public and a commercial service are available. The public service is an open, free service that can be received by the public radio stations. The other service is a pay service provided by T-Mobile Traffic, which is part of Deutsche Telekom. The service went life from March 2004 across Germany. The content is provided by the company ddg Gesellschaft für Verkehrsdaten mbh, a 100% subsidiary of T-mobile Traffic GmbH.It is an encrypted service, based on the conditional access specifications made by the TMC Forum. BAST, Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen, is releasing location tables. The current version is 3.0, which is on air since January 2004. It includes 28.000 locations and is backwards compatible with previous version which had 21.000 locations. The new location table, version 4.0, also includes all major access roads leading to the football arenas which will be used in the World Championship in 2006. ItalyA TMC service is available in Italy. CCISS (national traffic information centre) is providing the service. It is broadcast on the RAI FM network, on Radio 1. This service principally covers major routes in the North of the country, especially the West-East Autostrada. Another free TMC service is provided by the commercial radio station RTL, transmitted on the national radio station RTL 102.5. The service covers 90% of the population of Italy, and is still increasing. The location table, provided by Mizar Mediaservice is in its version 1.1 but a new version 2.0 has already been certified. NorwayA TMC service is available in Norway. It is available in a limited area (Østfold, Akershus and Oslo) and expanding to cover larger parts of the country. Statens Vegvesen, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) is releasing location tables. The current version is 1.1.2004, but a new version V1.2.0.2004 has been delivered for certification. SpainA TMC service is available in Spain. It is provided by The road network coverage is the motorways, national roads and first level roads that belong to the Autonomous Communities. Location tables are coming from DGT, Dirección General de Tráfico. The current version is 1.6 (previously called 6.0) and contains about 5000 locations. A new version is expected in 2005 and will contain about 9000 locations (but it will be backwards compatible with the current version). SwedenA free service is available in Sweden. SNRA, the Swedish National Road Administration or Vägverket, is responsible for the free service and for making the location tables. The previous version 1.2003 contained about 9800 locations. Since Octobre 2004 version 1.1.2004 is transmitted. New versions are always backward compatible. Regarding the transmission, Sweden is divided into 8 broadcasting zones in order not to transmit traffic information that is not useful at that location. They cover the European, national and major county highways and contain information about traffic accidents, road works and road weather. SwitzerlandA TMC service is available in Switzerland. The broadcaster is SRG SSR idée suisse or Swiss Broadcasting Corporation who transmits TMC on FM chain 1 (general, services) and FM chain 3 (pop/rock) all over Switzerland. It is Viasuisse, a daughter company of it, that operates the service. Location codes are the responsibility of the Swiss Federal Roads Authority FEDRO but B+S Ingenieur (Bundesamt fur Strassen) makes the location tables. Version 5 is on air from September 2004. It is backward compatible with version 4.5 as most changes are additions. NetherlandsThe service provider TMC4U is delivering a TMC service in The Netherlands. Currently it is free, but they plan a pay-service including local information. TMC4U is a collaboration between Siemens and ANWB. The transmissions are on the radio channels of SkyRadio, Classic FM, Radio 1 and 3FM. A second TMC service provider is Vialis. They are transmitting on the FM channels of Noordzee and Radio 538. Location tables come from AVV Transport Research Centre and are supplied by TIC Nederland. The current version is 2003.a. United KingdomThe private company ITIS Holding is providing a commercial TMC service iTMC in the United Kingdom. It is broadcast on Classic FM The price of the service can be included in the price of the car or of the navigation system. Next to that, there is a service RAC Live operated by RAC Trafficmaster Telematics (RTT) a 50-50 joint venture between RAC Motoring Services and Trafficmaster. It uses 3 commercial radio broadcasters, GWR, Capital radio and Chrysalis; between them offering a national UK coverage. Both providers are responsible for their own location tabels. The current location table version of ITIS is 4.5, which will be followed by 5.0. The current location table version of Trafficmaster is 1.4. United States of AmericaIn the United States of America, XM Satellite Radio started transmitting TMC messages all over the country already whereas Sirius Satellite Radio announced it. Also Clear Channel announced the transmission of TMC, on FM-RDS. Other Planned servicesIt is also planned in Portugal. In Ireland,Hungary and Luxemburg no service is currently planned. In Poland a private radio station did some tests but General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKIA) didn't decide yet on a real implementation. In Dubai a first location table has been released. In China they are currently investigating on which technology their traffic information system will be based. The main choice is between the Japanese system VICS and the European TMC. External Links
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