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Talking Traffic

Talking Traffic is a partnership in which public and private parties work together to unlock knowledge and data, then make it available to individual road users in real time via customized applications.

All over the world, and certainly in a small and densely populated country like the Netherlands, urbanization continues steadily and space is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity. At the same time, the use of mobile devices is increasing rapidly and the Internet of Things is booming. Together, this offers unprecedented opportunities for smarter organization of mobility and better use of limited space. Current technologies, including Talking Traffic, make it possible for people, devices and systems to communicate and share information with each other.

Documentation

We want to achieve the following

Talking Traffic plays an important role in organizing mobility. Talking Traffic creates the following opportunities:

  • By making ever smarter use of mobility, travel times can be further reduced and traffic flow improved.
  • Savings in travel time, fuel and costs from all users of Talking Traffic combined contribute to the Netherlands' ambitions for congestion relief and sustainability.
  • Extra comfort on the road: you always know where you stand.
  • Improving road safety by having a well-warned, alert road user keeps their attention better on traffic and makes the right choices at times that matter.

Getting Started

Anyone participating in traffic with a smartphone, an up-to-date navigation system or a car that displays this type of information on the dashboard can use Talking Traffic's services. These services support the road user from A to Z, from the moment of departure to the destination. Talking Traffic hereby recognizes the following target groups (click for more info):

Aerial photo of traffic plaza
Inspection of truck

Privacy, security and more

The partners of Talking Traffic (Road Authorities, Ministry of IenW, Service Providers and Information Services) work together to make the services run as smoothly as possible. Here the following themes are of great importance (click for more info):

More on the tech...
Talking Traffic: looking beyond your windshield

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Motorists

When you drive a car, you can see through your windshield at most 100 meters in front of you. Talking Traffic allows you to see further ahead, at what is happening in front of you. Think of traffic jams, a slippery road surface, the current speed limit, an accident three kilometers away, or how long the traffic light is still green. By also passing on data in real time themselves, motorists and other road users can "warn" each other in time. In this way, accidents and unnecessary delays can be prevented.
Some of the advantages you have as a motorist:

Alerts for emergency and rescue services

With Talking Traffic's information, you are warned well in advance of an approaching fire department or ambulance. Another advantage: emergency vehicles get a green light, so the risks associated with running a red light are also solved.

Speed limits

With Talking Traffic's service, you will always be shown the correct speed.

Warning of traffic jams

Apps like Flitsmeister, and Onderweg warn of traffic jams ahead of you, so you can adjust your speed in time or still avoid the traffic jam.

Traffic lights

Your smartphone tells you when the traffic light is about to turn green, so you can let the car coast gently and continue smoothly when it turns green again. That saves travel time and CO2 emissions!

Notification open bridge

Talking Traffic allows you to receive timely notification of an open bridge via an app so you can take a different route.

Parking information and paid parking

With Talking Traffic's information, you can also view the surrounding parking options right after you enter your destination. You see not only the capacity of the parking garages, but also the number of available spots. Choose a garage, and the navigation will guide you directly there. Street parking will also be easier: the technology will make it possible to pay directly from the same app.

Notification of hazardous situations

A bad road surface, a car standing still by the side of the road, a road inspector working on the shoulder.... These are all situations that can surprise you during a drive in the car. Apps such as Flitsmeister and Onderweg report these kinds of incidents so you are alert to them.

Emergency and rescue services

Getting from A to B as quickly as possible: it's not as important to anyone as it is to fire, ambulance, police and road inspectors. A few seconds can literally make the difference between life and death. These emergency and rescue services therefore benefit greatly from Talking Traffic's services.

Faster on site

Communication between the emergency vehicle and the intersection is also central here. The emergency dispatcher makes a notification of an incident. At that point, the entire route is announced. The traffic lights at the intersections then know that an emergency service is approaching, and can already clear the road at the right moment. Cars on the road that the emergency service is about to pass are given a green light so that they can drive away. Of course, the emergency service itself is given absolute priority, i.e. green light all the way to the incident. By eliminating the need for emergency vehicles to drive through red lights, traffic safety is improved and they arrive at the scene faster.

Alerted road users

When drivers suddenly hear a siren behind them, it can sometimes cause nervousness. With Talking Traffic, road users are warned much earlier that an ambulance or fire truck is approaching. As a result, they are no longer taken by surprise and have more time to make way for the emergency service. A lot safer of course, both for themselves and for the emergency workers.

Public Transportation

As a bus driver, you have the important job of getting everyone to their jobs or appointments on time. Talking Traffic's smart solutions can help with that. 

Reliability of public transportation

The technology in the bus allows communication with the traffic light. Does the traffic light detect that the bus is late? Then the bus can be given priority at the traffic light over other traffic. A bus that is ahead of schedule, on the other hand, can wait a little longer at the intersection. Each road authority can make its own agreements about this: any 'priority' for public transport can therefore differ per municipality or province. And all this with information integrated into the dashboard: so no extra screens. In this way we ensure together that everyone reaches their destination safely and on time.

Logistics

As a carrier, you want to provide the best service; preferably as quickly and as sustainably as possible. If you can save on fuel and CO2 emissions, then of course you do so. Talking Traffic facilitates this. With the information from Talking Traffic, road managers are given the opportunity to translate traffic policy directly to the road. 

Safe routes

If a municipality makes the choice, for example, to route truck traffic carrying hazardous materials through the city as quickly as possible, this can be arranged. Trucks are equipped with (built-in) equipment that allows data exchange with traffic lights. Before departure, the driver will indicate whether he is loaded and, if so, with what type of load. Based on this data and the municipality's policy, the truck can be given priority, and thus a green light, over other traffic.

Better information on the route

Even if the driver is not given priority, Talking Traffic offers benefits. The data exchange provides better information about the situation on the road. Examples include personalized speed limits for heavy vehicles and speed advice to get to the next green light. Some Talking Traffic advice is specific to the logistics sector, such as information on applicable overtaking bans. The apps also provide timely information about road works, traffic jams, an open bridge or other situations on the road. Based on that information, drivers can make better route decisions and road safety improves.

Cyclists

Several apps have been developed within Talking Traffic that make cycling even more fun and safe.

Smooth cycling

When a cyclist using a Talking Traffic app approaches an intersection, the traffic signal system is alerted. It then considers whether the cyclist's green time can be extended or whether the cyclist can be given an earlier green. If the system detects a group of cyclists, the group may be given priority over other traffic. That means that the group gets the green light earlier or longer than other road users at the intersection. You don't have to stop as often and can cycle along nicely. And after you install and activate one of the apps, you don't have to do anything else. That's because the phone stays safely in your jacket or bag.

Green wave

Another option is to create a green wave for yourself: you get speed advice on your phone or on another device such as a smart bike bell (the halo) to get to the next green light. You can also pick a bike parking spot before you leave. You can see exactly where your bike is safely parked and get information about the bike parking's opening hours and any fees.

Road Safety

Talking Traffic is a targeted step toward fewer incidents in traffic: a well-warned, alert road user keeps their attention better on the traffic and makes the right choices at times that matter.

Customized driving task support

Agreements have been made with all partners to ensure that Talking Traffic services contribute as much as possible to reducing or anticipating unsafe traffic situations. Talking Traffic offers customized driving support: (anonymized) it is known where road users are, at what speed and in what direction they are driving, via which route and to which destination. This makes it possible to send targeted information and advice dosed to only those for whom a message is relevant.

As few distractions as possible

Distractions in traffic are annoying and dangerous. Smartphones, navigation and notifications on the dashboard or Head Up Display can be very useful in traffic and contribute to road safety, provided they are used responsibly. By this we mean use for navigation, route information and driving task support, without unnecessarily distracting the user during their journey. This is why requirements have been set for all partners that enable road users to use the services in a traffic-safe manner in the car or on a bicycle. The starting point is always: the driver must always be able to keep his attention on the traffic. This includes agreements about the way and the moment information is displayed.

Reliability of services

Within Talking Traffic, easy-to-use services are being developed. Behind the advice on dashboard, in navigation or smartphone, however, is a world of complex systems. Quality, reliability and safety are paramount.

Certification

Therefore, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) has set up a certification process, in which the various systems are extensively tested annually or in case of major changes. The initial tests are performed by the owner of the system. Then the owner of the product certifies that the product conforms to the national agreements. Then the Ministry of IenW looks at the tests performed and the declaration and additional tests are done if necessary. After these tests, a certificate is issued by the Strategic Committee so that the product can be used.

Privacy

Within Talking Traffic, data is exchanged to deliver smart services to road users. Users of Talking Traffic services must be able to rely on the careful handling of their personal data. Every partner of Talking Traffic must handle data with care and only use it effectively. Various measures have been taken from the individual companies but also collectively within Talking Traffic:

Privacy by design

When designing the system architecture and underlying protocols, maximum consideration was given to protecting privacy. Location data of road users are sent to Talking Traffic only when the road user is near the traffic light, and only for the application "optimization. If the location is the starting or ending point of the trip, the location is not shared. And travelers are not tracked: the traveler's identification number is changed at each traffic light. Audits (Data Protection Impact Assessment) have been conducted to check for compliance with AVG requirements.

User Agreement

Talking Traffic uses "consent" as a basic principle for data sharing. This means that the user of Talking Traffic services gives consent via an informed and unambiguous expression of will to the sharing of her/his data for its use. This is called the user agreement.

Processor Agreement

It is important that each link in the Talking Traffic chain that receives personal data respects the user agreement. Parties that are part of Talking Traffic must therefore enter into a user agreement with each party it exchanges data with. The agreement obligates the receiving party to abide by the terms and purpose limitation of the user agreement.

Privacy

Security and privacy are often mentioned in the same breath, are not the same thing, but can certainly affect each other. For example, possible security incidents can lead to unwanted access to protected personal data. And unauthorized access to personal data (for example, through blackmail) can potentially lead to a new security risk.

Security audits

Several measures have therefore been taken within Talking Traffic to ensure cyber-security. For example, security audits by third parties are organized on a regular basis. They monitor that both technology and business processes are secure at all links in the chain. The application of ISO standard 27001 for information security is an important condition for this. The government departments involved are also required by law to comply at all times with the Baseline Information Security (BIO), the basic framework of standards for information security within the government. Ethical hackers are used to attempt to hack the system through penetration testing. Thus, weaknesses are identified and resolved.

No negative impact on road safety

Even supposing an intrusion into the system did occur, road safety would never be adversely affected. Talking Traffic information is presented to the road user as an information service. The road user remains responsible for assessing whether the information is consistent with reality, and what actions should be taken in traffic. Talking Traffic is not intended as decision information for in-car systems, which deal with things like braking or swerve. Talking Traffic is purely informational in nature. So in terms of safety, there is no difference between an iVRI and a classic traffic light. Also, the iVRI is designed so that its safe operation cannot be affected by other components within Talking Traffic.

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