scope:

This Technical Specification 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 may be as well presented directly to the user by textual, voiced and graphically output devices.

TFP is status oriented, i.e. the transmitted information updates continuously 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:

- provide dynamic navigation systems with up-to-date traffic state information,

- ensure travel safety for the driver,

- enable the calculation of alternative routes,

- avoid delays (e.g. traffic jams),

- lower traffic load on over-saturated parts of the network,

- keep driver informed about current and upcoming traffic,

- compact and efficient coding of the traffic information.