Ford FG Falcon: Real-Time Traffic Awareness TechnologyMotoring Channel Staff - 14/August/2008 | 
Ford Falcon Real-Time Traffic System
This image from the satellite navigation
system warns the driver of traffic delays
How It WorksAccording to Ford, it's new
satellite navigation system intercepts information from Suna via radio
frequencies sent using the international Traffic Message Channel (TMC)
standard. The TMC encodes traffic conditions and information, and is broadcast
using the Radio Data System (RDS). This traffic information is
gathered from a wide range of sources, "including traffic control
centres, traffic lights, road sensors and probe vehicles, and then
transmitted via an FM broadcast," the Ford literature reads. Traffic data is updated every three minutes. - Motoring Channel Staff
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The triangles represent traffic incidents across
the city, and can be clicked on to view details
of the type of incident and if there's any delays
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Melbourne, Australia — Less than a week after announcing that it's FG Falcon is the safest Australian-built car, Ford has achieved another first: real-time sat nav traffic updates. Beating
the European luxury marques and arch-rival Holden to the punch, Ford's
new traffic monitoring system incorporates the Suna Traffic
Channel into the satellite navigation system, which will alert drivers
to traffic congestion and can suggest alternate paths. The new system can will display information such as how long the delay
will be, even the cause of the delay and the estimated new arrival time. Priced
at $2,290, the new traffic awareness technology works by connecting the
Ford Falcon's satellite navigation system to Suna's Traffic
Channel. Ford Australia Chief Engineer
Electrical, Stuart Taylor, said "Ford's electrical
engineering team has worked closely and collaboratively with the Suna
Traffic Channel provider over the past two years to make this exciting
new feature a reality for the FG Falcon, which has been designed from
the outset to be a technology-capable vehicle platform. "As the
first car company in Australia to offer Suna Traffic Channel in an
integrated vehicle solution, we are extremely pleased to be able to
provide such relevant and useable technology to our customers from
August production onwards," added Mr Taylor. Because
the traffic awareness system is new technology in Australia, the system
is only available for metropolitan areas on the Eastern seaboard -
Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane. However Ford says that more launches will occur in metropolitan areas around Australia in the next 12-24 months. Ford has also updated its satellite navigation to include the Sensis Whereis version 15 map
data, which has the latest up-to-date map data such as all the newly built roads and regions. The new maps show roads such as the Lane Cove
Tunnel in Sydney and EastLink in Melbourne will alert the driver when approaching red light and fixed speed
camera locations, Australia-wide. "Both of these new technologies are seamlessly integrated into
satellite navigation-equipped FG Falcon models, delivering the very
latest in convenience features for our customers, as well as extending
Ford's technology leadership position," Ford Australia Chief Engineer
Electrical, Stuart Taylor said. The
SUNA Traffic Channel was developed Intelematics, a Melbourne company
that is owned by the RACV (Royal Automobile Club of Victoria). Companies
that produce standalone satellite navigation devices, such as TomTom,
Navman and Garmin will also offer similar devices that can intercept
the traffic broadcasts and display information on traffic delays
and congestion. Related Links:
- Ford Falcon 5-Star Safety (2008)
- Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo (Road Test)
- Ford Falcon G6 (Road Test)
- Ford Ka (2009)
- Ford Focus RS (2009)
- Ford Mondeo (Road Test)
- FPV F6 X (2008)
- Ford Fiesta XR4 (Road Test)
- Ford Kuga Concept (2007)
- Ford
Mondeo (2007)
- Ford Focus Diesel (Road Test)
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