TomTom has launched Road Event Reporter, a new traffic cooperation tool to exchange traffic data with cities, road authorities and other mobility stakeholders.
Designed with ease-of-use in mind, the Road Event Reporter tool will allow selected customers and partners to share traffic data, such as accidents, roadworks or road hazards with millions of connected road users. The information is shared in real time, directly onto in-car navigation systems, GPS navigation devices or mobile applications. The Road Event Reporter closes the loop between road authorities and road users by streamlining traffic information. It is one step further in TomTom’s mission to fight traffic congestion and improve mobility across the world. With the recent launch of the TomTom City portal, the company has embarked on a journey toward closer cooperation with cities, road authorities and other road stakeholders to help transform mobility.
The TomTom Road Event Reporter helps road authorities and other professional operators inform millions of road users in minutes via the company’s Traffic service about events that are affecting the road network and its traffic flows. Reported events can be communicated promptly via multiple delivery channels to drivers, such as directly to their in-car navigation device or personal navigation device (PND), smartphone navigation apps, and roadside variable message signs (VMS). With a few clicks a road authority can report road closures, road works, accidents and other disruptions that are affecting traffic in their local area. Using Road Event Reporter brings the road authority closer to the connected cars on the road and, for example, enables traffic managers to provide the same information to the drivers as they are displaying on roadside message signage.
The user-friendly web-based application enables the user to report events that are happening now, as well as those planned in the future, from any internet-enabled computer, 24/7/365. The event can be placed accurately on the map in the application, and when submitted to TomTom, it is automatically placed in the traffic fusion engine and validated using current GPS observations from millions of vehicles. If the information is correct the message is sent in the next update of TomTom Traffic service for all users. The whole process can take just a few minutes from creation to being seen on connected devices to help drivers make smarter decisions to minimize delays on their journey. The powerful tool is only being offered to professional organizations such as road authorities, highways agencies, traffic managers, construction companies and transportation consultants.
“Accurate and fresh traffic data helps drivers and fleet managers route around problematic areas. This saves time, fuel and reduces emissions”, said Ralf-Peter Schäfer, VP for Traffic and Travel at TomTom. “This data can also be used to monitor and analyze traffic and network performance. By sharing their traffic incident data with us, road authorities, transportation companies and other mobility players using Road Event Reporter can directly influence the traffic, reducing overall congestion.”
