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TISA addresses a set of technologies which together form the traffic and travel information domain.

 

Traffic information is a key element of an overall ITS policy. Knowledge of traffic situation supports safe, efficient journeys. Traffic information is useful before and during a journey:

  • To plan if / when / how to make the journey
  • To avoid congestion during the journey
  • To receive warnings of incidents on the planned route

Travel information is not always about road traffic. Just as journeys often use a variety of transport modes, travel information is useful for travel by bus, train, ferry air - any way of travelling is enhanced by support with appropriate information. This information could take the form of timetable and schedule, real time public transport status, warning of service disruptions or transport mode choice support, for example.

 

The earliest mass-market sources of dynamic travel information were voice radio broadcasts. Voice bulletins of travel information typically warn of disruptions to road or rail services. Features such as RDS-TA (traffic alert feature for FM-Radio Data System broadcasts) help the listener to find travel information bulletins. However, voice bulletins take up broadcast time, limiting how comprehensive they can be. Additionally, listeners need to manually 'filter' the relevant messages from among a potentially long list, without being distracted from the driving task.

 

The Traffic Message Channel (TMC)

 

TMC is a specific application of FM RDS used for broadcasting real-time traffic and weather information. Data messages are received silently and decoded by a TMC-equipped navigation system, and delivered to the driver, typically by offering dynamic route guidance - alerting the driver of a problem on the planned route and calculating an alternative route to avoid the incident.

 

Benefits for users

  • Updated traffic information, delivered in real time
  • Instant knowledge of accidents, roadworks and traffic jams
  • Filtered information only for the immediate route
  • Information in user's own language
  • High-quality digital transmission
  • Standardised compatibility of receivers
  • Widespread service delivery across Europe, in the USA and in many other countries worldwide

Instant information en route

TMC traffic information offers several advantages. First, it is received via a "silent" FM data channel, which means that users can listen to music or news broadcasts simultaneously with - and without interference from - TMC data transmissions. Second, messages arrive and are displayed immediately, so you don't need to wait for the scheduled traffic news bulletin, or to listen to a specific programme. Also, TMC services are continuous and presented directly to the driver, unlike occasional roadside information services such as variable message signs.

 

In the user's language

Thanks to TMC receiver technology, users can receive traffic information in their own language. The TMC unit, typically an in-car navigation system, decodes the received traffic information and presents it to the user. Whichever country the user is driving in, he or she can understand the local traffic situation immediately.

 

Across Europe

TMC traffic information systems conform to a global standard that has been adopted by traffic data gatherers, information service providers, broadcasters and vehicle/receiver manufacturers. TMC information is received via the normal FM radio antenna.

 

All TMC receivers use the same list of event codes, while the location database (typically on the navigation system map CD-ROM or DVD) contains a country-specific set of location codes for the strategic European road network.

 

For more information on TMC technology and service deployment, please see the TMC Forum website at www.tmcforum.com

Transport Protocol Experts Group (TPEG)

 

TPEG technology has been designed to provide a 21st century multimodal TTI data protocol for delivering content to the end-user, regardless of location or client type in use. A common Location Referencing methodology has been developed to allow any client device to take advantage of content without necessarily having a location database installed.

 

Language independence has been a prime principle in the design and for example the BBCi website demonstrated TPEG content in one of Europe's minority languages: Welsh! Several other languages were also offered by this website.

 

TPEG technology has been developed by a Partnership of broadcasters and consumer industry over the last few years. TPEG simply stands for Transport Protocol Experts Group (rather like JPEG and MPEG) and has been supported by the European Broadcasting Union for over 8 years before becoming part of the scope of TISA in 2007.

 

TPEG technology is now specified in a suite of worldwide international Standards that have been adopted by CEN and ISO. Meanwhile the TISA TPEG Applications Working Group continues to support the maintenance and development of these specifications and thus the basic TPEG toolkit is now established and ready for implementation, anywhere Worldwide.

  • TPEG technology is already standardised world-wide and recognised as providing the "tool-kit" for delivering all types of Traffic and Travel Information content by any required delivery channel, such as Digital Radio (e.g. DAB, HD or satellite radio), Internet, Digital TV (e.g. DVB-x or DMB), GPRS and Wi-Fi
  • TPEG technology provides human, language independent, content and machine readable content
  • TPEG applications use a common Location Referencing method suitable for all client devices presenting text or icons on map displays
  • TPEG applications already specified for multi-modal travel information

TISA addresses traffic and travel information via TMC and TPEG, and also the development of any other supporting technologies. The travel information 'service chain' involves data collection, analysis and prediction, location referencing, the use of broadcast or other 'bearer' technologies and new and innovative ways of presenting and interacting with travel information. All these technological aspects are inside the scope of TISA's technology work.


More about TPEG technology


TPEG specifications offer a method for transmitting traffic and travel information. 

In contract to TMC (a single defined application (event-based road traffic information), typically used to make GPS navigation for vehicles traffic-enabled or 'dynamic'), TPEG refers to a whole set or toolkit of specifications, for offering a wider range of services to a wider range of users and devices.

TPEG services are defined in a modular way and can therefore vary in a number of 'directions':
  • Application - e.g. Road Traffic Messages, Public Transport Information or Parking Information
  • Transmission method - e.g. DAB digital radio, DMB, internet
  • Location referencing method - e.g. table-based (using for example TMC location tables) or on-the-fly (using a method that gives a location reference that works with or without maps and does not require a look-up table to decode in the receiver)
  • Device - e.g. intended for vehicle navigation systems, internet browsers or mobile devices
  • Conditional Access - whether data is sent for free or only to users/devices who have somehow established the right to receive it, e.g. by paying a subscription
We use the term profile to define a combination of the above which, together, make up what you might think of as a single TPEG service. For example:
  • displaying traffic incidents on a map graphic and supporting re-routing or route optimisation
  • displaying public transport status information on a cell phone screen