This document specifies the TPEG application Traffic Flow and Prediction (TFP). It has been specifically designed to provide information to a variety of receivers using different channels, including in the first instance digital broadcasting and Internet technologies. Traffic flow and prediction messages are intended for in-car applications and can also be presented directly to the user by textual, voice and graphical output devices.

TFP is status oriented, i.e. the transmitted information continuously updates the receiver's knowledge for a dedicated road network. In particular the traffic states are delivered any time and for all road sections of the network, even when there are no abnormal traffic situations.

Generally, TFP focuses on the following requirements:

• —

  provides dynamic navigation systems with up-to-date traffic state information;

• —

  ensures travel safety for the driver;

• —

  enables the calculation of alternative routes;

• —

  avoids delays (e.g. traffic jams);

• —

  lowers traffic load on over-saturated parts of the network;

• —

  keeps the driver informed about current and upcoming traffic;

• —

  compact and efficient coding of the traffic information.