Trafficmaster and IBM develop smarter driving solution

Sharon

Sharon Gill

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19th August 2009

Trafficmaster's SmartNav enhanced route-planning tool incorporates a dynamic probe collection system powered by a combination of IBM hardware, software and storage.

IBM technology is also at the heart of Trafficmaster's Geocore solution for the retrieval and processing of huge volumes of driver locations that are collected to provide a wide range of telematics services.

"Trafficmaster is able to provide drivers with real-time route planning and more accurate ETAs than ever before with the help of the IBM Informix data base technology," said Stuart Berman, executive director of Trafficmaster.

Doug Wilson, client manager of IBM UK, says that cities everywhere are battling with stressed transportation network – an enormous problem in Europe with nearly 300 million drivers causing traffic congestion that costs the EU around €100 billion a year.

"To help address this issue in the UK, IBM is partnering with Trafficmaster to take a smarter approach to motoring by analysing data and unlocking trends to intelligently plan journeys," said Wilson.

Trafficmaster provides a range of intelligent driving services through its telematics technology platform and in partnership with mobile phone operator 02, collecting huge amounts of data from vehicles and sensors covering the UK's motorways and trunk roads to provide services such as fleet management and stolen vehicle tracking, as well as smarter route-planning.

SmartNav uses satellite navigation and live traffic information to find the best routes and suggest alternatives when traffic is congested. The data provided through the IBM system enables real road speeds to be logged so that accurate time-aware routing and ETAs can be provided to SmartNav drivers.

Trafficmaster now uses IBM technology in its On-Demand Business Mileage Reporting system, which gives drivers instant, totally accurate access to their mileage records via their SmartNav navigation system or Trackstar stolen vehicle tracking system.

The system recalls all journey start and end locations, the time taken to make the journey and the exact distance travelled. Drivers know exactly where their car was at any given time or day and just have to classify the journey as business or private mileage.