Frost: Real-Time Traffic Info Sparks Renewed Interest in Intelligent Transportation Systems
April 5, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The increasing amount of personal and business time and fuel wasted in congested traffic, coupled with the sharp rise in gasoline prices over the past several years, has stimulated renewed interest in intelligent transportation systems (ITS).
According to Frost & Sullivan, this is resulting in the widespread deployment of real-time traffic information, which is becoming a mainstream automotive feature.
Recent analysis from Frost & Sullivan found that Inrix and Traffic.com provide valuable real-time traffic information to drivers. Predicted travel times provided by the two companies are compared to actual travel times in three metro areas to judge their relative accuracy.
"Real-time traffic information is now available to consumers through a number of channels, such as the Internet and on-board navigation systems," said Frost & Sullivan senior industry analyst Joerg Dittmer.
"This can convert telematics systems from a rarely used to a must-have automotive feature."
Although drivers need navigation assistance only on unfamiliar routes, traffic information is valuable even on routes well-known to the driver.
Analysts said drivers favor on-board navigation that incorporates real-time traffic information. Going beyond mere route guidance, this feature enables the system to guide drivers around trouble spots where traffic flow is slow.
Inrix and Traffic.com are competing to become the leading provider of real-time traffic information in the U.S. Analysts said they provide this information based on readings from road sensors and probe vehicles. Predictive traffic data goes a step further by combining real-time traffic flow information with data, such as historical traffic patterns and school schedules to allow drivers to plan their trips even more precisely.
Over the past five years, Traffic.com worked closely with state departments of transportation (DOTs) to enhance publicly available traffic information. Analysts said it offered state DOTs low-cost installations of radar detector-based traffic flow sensors, measuring speed, flowcount and occupancy, in exchange for exclusive commercial rights to the data generated.
On the other hand, Inrix - spurred by proprietary technology licensed from Microsoft Research - focused on providing both real-time and predictive traffic information nationwide, within the last year.
"Inrix was found to cover more metropolitan areas, and more miles in each of the three metropolitan areas that were the focus of the study," said Dittmer. Inrix took the lead in accuracy of predicted travel times in Providence, R.I. and Traffic.com came ahead in Philadelphia, Pa., while results for Washington D.C. are mixed.
Inrix and Traffic.com provide valuable information, but analysts said there is no distinct winner. Both companies expect to continue to increase their coverage and develop their technologies to provide increasingly useful information to drivers.
Source: Frost & Sullivan.