Traffic Message Channel

Traffic 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 alternative routes to avoid traffic incidents.

How it works

Each 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. Those location tables are integrated in the maps provided by Tele Atlas and NAVTEQ.

The source of traffic information is typically police, traffic cameras, loops, Floating Car Data and others.

TMC Services in Operation

Following countries provide a TMC service:

Austria

In Austria, ORF is broadcasting the free service on the radio channels Ö1, Ö2 (9 regional channels), Ö3 and FM4 and is 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.

Belgium

In Belgium there are 3 TMC services: VRT and 4FM in Flanders and RTBF in Wallonia. All of them are free services.

The service TIC-VL is broadcast by VRT on Radio 2 and is using content from Verkeerscentrum Antwerpen. Coverage of content and transmissions is limited to the Flanders region.

In the southern part of Belgium, Wallonia, the service CLASS.21 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. Both coverage of transmissions and content is limited to Wallonia.

A third TMC service is ViaTMC provided by Vialis, which is also operating TMC services in the Netherlands. It is broadcast by 4FM in Flanders, but the content contains both the content from Verkeerscentrum Antwerpen and PEREX and so covers Belgium in total. In future they plan to add information on speed cameras.

Tritel creates the location tables by order of the regional communities. Since December 2004 the broadcast messages are according to location table version 1.4b, in which N-roads are added. The latest certified version is 2.0.

Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, two services are available. They are in test phase but are basically regular services.

A first service, called TSK TEST, is available in Prague. It is broadcast on Český Rozhlas – Regina (92.6MHz). The service provider is TSK-PRAHA (Communication Technical Administration). The content comes from the traffic centre in Prague(TIC Praha).

A second service, provided by Global Assistance is available countrywide. It is broadcast by CRo1 Radiozurnal

TMC developments are coordinated by CEDA. They are responsible for the location table (current version is 1.36, a new version is under preparation and expected beginning 2006).

Denmark

The free TMC service DK-TMC in Denmark is operated by Vejdirektoratet or DRD (Danish Road Directorate). It is broadcast on DR P4.

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.

Finland

A free service is available in Finland serving principally the south of the country. It is transmitted by YLE on YLE Radio Suomi. Both the service and the location tables are provided by the FINNRA, the Finnish National Road Administration. The current version of the location table is 1.31.

France

Both 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.

Next to that a service from ViaMichelin and Carte Blanche is provided, transmitted by the Towercast network (NRJ group). In september 2005 PSA Peugeot Citroën signed a partnership with ViaMichelin for the use of this info in their navigation systems.

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. The latest certified version is 5.1.

Germany

In 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 TMCpro is a pay service provided by T-Mobile Traffic, a wholly owned subsidiary of T-Mobile. The service went live in March 2004 across Germany. The content is provided by ddg Gesellschaft für Verkehrsdaten mbh, a wholly owned subsidiary of T-Mobile Traffic GmbH. It is an encrypted service, based on the conditional access specifications made by the TMC Forum.

BAST, the German Federal Highway Research Institute, is releasing location tables. The current version is 5.01, which has been on air since April 2006. Compared with the previous version 4.0, it also includes all major access roads leading to the football arenas which will be used in the World Championship in 2006.

Italy

A public RDS-TMC service free of charge is available in Italy from 1 July 1998. CCISS (National Traffic Information Centre) is providing the service. It is broadcast on the RAI FM network, on Radio 1; this service covers only the Northern Italy, from Turin to Venice.

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 Italian location table, provided by RAI-CCISS, is in its version 2.0.

Netherlands

The 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, Radio Veronica and Radio 1.

A second TMC service ViaTMC is provided by Vialis. They are transmitting on the FM channels of Q-music (previously Noordzee) and Radio 538. Information of traffic jams, road works and so on is the same on both channels, but they add information on speed traps to it independent of each other.

Location tables come from AVV Transport Research Centre and are supplied by TIC Nederland. The current version is 2003.a.

Norway

A 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. It is transmitted on NRK P1. Statens Vegvesen, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) is releasing location tables. The current version is 1.1.2004, but a new version 1.4.2004 has been certified.

Spain

A TMC service is available in Spain on RNE 3. It is provided by

SCT as the operator of traffic management in Catalonia Autonomous Community
DT in the Basque Country Autonomous Community
DGT (Traffic General Directorate) as the operator for the rest of the country's traffic management.

The road network coverage is the motorways, national roads and first level roads that belong to the Autonomous Communities. Next to that, RACC ^* is working on urban TMC services, starting with Seville and Barcelona. This will broadcast on RNE 2.

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).

Sweden

A 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. A new version 1.2005 has been certified. 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. The service is broadcast on Sveriges Radio P3 radio station and cover 98 percent of Sweden.

Switzerland

A 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.

In German speaking areas: DRS 1 (G) / DRS 3 (G) / RSR 1 (F) / RSI 1 (I) partly
In French speaking areas: RSR 1 (F) / RSR 3 (F) / DRS 1 (G) / RSI 1 (I) partly
In Italian speaking areas: RSI 1 (I) / RSI 3 (I) / DRS 1 (G) / RSR 1 (F)

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 5.0 is on air from September 2004. It is backward compatible with version 4.5 as most changes are additions.

United Kingdom

The 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 who together ensure reception across mainland Britain.

Both providers are responsible for their own location tables. 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. A new version 2.0 has been certified.

United States of America

In 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 and Tele Atlas have a TMC service, using FM-RDS.

Other Planned services

It is also planned in Portugal. In Ireland,Hungary and Luxembourg 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 the location table version 1.2 has been certified.

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. A TMC Location table version 1.0 has been certified already.

External links

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