A second entrant into the TMC arena in the UK ?

Hunnymonster

From http://www.trafficmaster.co.uk/shownews.cfm?num=307

RAC offers vehicle manufacturers a choice of RDS-TMC provider

14th March, 2004 - Traffic and travel experts RAC Live have announced the launch of a new high-quality real time traffic information service accessed via a vehicle’s on-board satellite navigation system that will now give the UK’s automotive industry a choice of RDS-TMC provider.

This new RDS-TMC* (Radio Data System-Traffic Message Channel) service will provide drivers with accurate real time traffic flow data via Trafficmaster’s unique fixed sensor network covering the UK’s motorways and trunk roads.

The article goes on to talk in press-releasese about what it means..... ~I may just call the 'additional info' number given in the press release tomorrow - if I get a chance :D

swing

swing

It appears that this is in conjunction with a number of radio station groups - Chrysalis, GWR (who own Classic FM as well as a lot of local stations), and I notice that people travelling across the UK with Navigon TMC have found their TMC unit tuned into different stations - so I wonder if trials have already begun.

Hunnymonster · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 11:44 am Post subject:

Well - I called.....

The depth of knowledge was legendary - in so much as the lady that answered didn't have the faintest clue about what I was talking about. She's promised to find out more and call me back this afternoon.

I will post more if it ever happens Laughing

Hunnymonster · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:42 pm Post subject:

Well I've just finished eating my words Embarassed

I had a call back from another lady at the RAC1740 travel service, who seemed to possess a lot of knowledge on RDS-TMC - and not just the RAC/TrafficMaster system.

The RAC/TrafficMaster system mentioned is still not live - they are testing with 3 car manufacturers (she kept referring to car manufacturers and we all know that none of them make their own SatNav), and it will be a licenced system in the same way as the ITIS system is, it relies on TMC codes within the maps and for the mapping manufacturers to sign a licence agreement with them.

Presumably that means that it will be an either/or situation between ITIS & RAC/TrafficMaster, as I can't see many mapping providers being willing to shell out two lots of licence fees.

Obviously RAC/TM gathers it's data from the fixed 'blue pole network' run by Trafficmaster, and the information is updated every 3 minutes, covering 8000 miles of roads etc etc blah blah.

A little more information on where ITIS information is gathered - aside from the tie up with the AA Roadwatch regional travel news centres, the entire Eddie Stobart Haulage fleet (a couple of thousand vehicles) is kitted with sensors, as are a number of National Express coaches - the sample size is therefore small - more so on routes not frequented by Eddie Stobart & National Express, although theoretically it could cover more of the network, it depends heavily on the usage patterns of those two organisations.

Oh and for owners of Renaults - it would appear that Renault have finally signed a deal with ITIS for 3 years for TMC provision - at least that's what I'm told.

swing

Hunnymonster · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 1:37 pm Post subject:

yeah, and totally missing the fact that there are so many non-automotive solutions out there for SatNav.

Hunnymonster · Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 1:52 pm Post subject:

Well - my TMC unit picked up messages on another station this morning - instead of the usual Classic FM..... of course Navigon did nothing to decode them, but I could see them arriving using the GNS GPS Monitor program.

I hope this doesn't mean it'll start hanging onto the non-Classic FM station because it's detected the TMC subcarrier Confused

swing · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 3:03 pm Post subject:

Hmm, and interesting quote on the iTIS Holdings website (with my emphasis)....

Hunnymonster · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 4:08 pm Post subject:

swing · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 4:31 pm Post subject:

Hunnymonster · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 9:01 pm Post subject:

I'd imagine they must have as I picked them up on Galaxy in the Northeast last week (at least, I picked up TMC messages that Navigon wouldn't touch, and Galaxy is part of GWR group)

swing · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 9:21 am Post subject:

Hunnymonster · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 9:41 pm Post subject:

I've just sat here with Navigon in "Scan" mode, and it does appear that it finds a TMC source, acquires all of the information it can from it, and then moves on scanning.

When it gets to the TMC source it doesn't understand, it doesn't sit there for long before it restarts the scanning process. So Navigon at least seems to handle the multi-source TMC, even if it can't decode all the messages.

If I watch using the GNSTester application, I can see that there are TMC messages being passed on both Classic & Galaxy - but sadly it only shows that there are messages, and not their content Crying or Very sad

Hunnymonster · Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:23 pm Post subject:

A month on, and according to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3670932.stm it's a possibility that both TMC providers will be broadcast by the same "controlling mind" 8O

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