Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Tracking car congestion using mobile phones

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 10:32:25 -0500

Tracking car congestion using mobile phones

LogicaCMG's Mobile Traffic Services (MTS) has successfully delivered reliable
information on travel times and vehicle speeds in part of the Dutch province of
Noord-Brabant using a new approach to traffic monitoring. LogicaCMG gathers the
information by tracking the volume and movement of GSM mobile telephone units
being used by drivers on national and secondary roads. A study carried out by
Goudappel Coffeng traffic research and consultancy demonstrates that the data
produced by this system has proved to be an accurate reflection of traffic
movement. MTS has also delivered comparable results for slip roads leading to
and from national roads.

The MTS data on national roads is at least as accurate as the information
gathered by Rijkswaterstaat (Department of Public Works) by means of a loop
detection system built into these roads.
Unlike other systems, MTS is capable of providing traffic information on the
entire road network -- which includes both national and secondary roads. The
present loop detection system only provides information on national roads. The
loop detection infrastructure is costly, logistically complex and requires
regular maintenance. MTS removes all these issues by providing a
subscription-based service to road managers where they can access traffic
information on a 24x7 basis. Furthermore, the road manager does not have to set
up an additional management organization.

Peter de Wolff, project manager for Noord-Brabant: "Initial results show that
MTS is very promising. This system stands a good chance of establishing the
basis of traffic management in our province and indeed throughout the
Netherlands. Using MTS, we want to make better use of the road network, for
instance by giving travellers timely information about the traffic situation,
expected travel times and alternative routes."

"Goudappel Coffeng's initial findings confirm that our Mobile Traffic Services
are suitable for a wide range of applications by road managers and for
information provision to motorists," says Ben Rutten, project manager for
LogicaCMG. "We have the technology, the applications have been developed and
traffic information can be supplied. MTS is now ready to be deployed on a large
scale by traffic managers."

MTS was first carried out as a pilot in July 2003 by the Dutch province of
Noord-Brabant in the Breda and Tilburg area -- on and between the motorways A16,
A58 and A59 and the secondary road N261. Measurements were taken during and
outside peak hours. The province wanted to use MTS to obtain a better picture of
traffic flows.

MTS uses GSM network data and is implemented in co-operation with Scottish
partner Applied Generics and telecom operator Vodafone. The MTS traffic data is
calculated using location data anonymously retrieved from the GSM network. A
representation of the movement of mobile telephones across the road network is
obtained by means of coded data. Travel times and speeds are then calculated
based on this information. The anonymous information is retrieved from the GSM
network via passive monitoring, without individual mobile telephones actually
being approached.
The definitive results of the validation study will appear in January 2004.

Posted to the site on 20-Nov-03

http://www.cellular-news.com/story/10153.shtml

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