Introduction

It should be noted that the value chain shown and described in this document is a modified version of the eMOTION value chain; this is not meant to be prescriptive as there are many other examples of TIS value chains all essentially describing similar actors and processes, but with differences in emphasis and allocation of functions reflecting national practices and other business models; for example the TISA value chain, and German chain; examples of which are provided in Annex 9.

There are several key actors in the value chain in providing dynamic traffic information services:

• The source of all information services is a content owner or content provider who owns the content (e.g. traffic data) and/or provides the content for a service application.
• A service operator who uses this content to generate information with added value. The information then forms part of a service and covers not only the adaptation of the original data but also the visualisation of the information (e.g. the creation of a thematic map).
• A communication network operator publishes the service (to a service provider) and supplies the communication network for the service (like a mobile network or an internet provider).
• The service provider is the interface to the customer. They publish the service and are responsible for all marketing and contractual issues with the end user.
• The end user is the consumer of the information service.

This relationships chain is illustrated in Figure 11. The following paragraphs give more detail on each of these players and their functions and characteristics. It should be noted that the precise roles and position of actors is not the same in all situations; this depends on national and regional TIS organisational structure and business case.

Content Provider

The content provider is the origin of the data used in information services. They are the first node in the value chain and therefore in most cases also the content owner, i.e. the institution that collects the data and controls rights to use and distribute the data. The content provider collects and administers the data (e.g. traffic data on traffic volume and velocity are collected by traffic control centres not primarily for use by traffic information services but for the operation of traffic control systems). However, this data has value in traveller information systems e.g. in indicating journey time information and in traffic management.

It is important to distinguish between the role of public/free content providers that collect data (primarily for internal use) and who provide it for the use in public or private/commercial information services; and private/commercial content providers whose business is to collect data and to sell the data to service operators. Examples of different public and private content providers are:

• National, regional or local road authorities
• Police
• Commercial traffic data provider
• Commercial traffic information provider
• Toll system operators
• Parking facilities operators
• Public transport operators
• Automobile clubs
• Private road operators
• Private address and POI data provider
• Weather services
• Map agencies
• Commercial map enterprises
• Mobile/cellular phone operators

In addition to these more traditional approaches to public/private providers of content there are now also alternative models where it is the end user who is increasingly performing the role of content provider (such as the free editable map website OpenStreetMap: www.openstreetmap.org). These information sources often work on the premise of building a user generated consensus of a situation to provide information which is effectively then verified by the network users.

A service set to impact on the collection of traffic related data is eCall. eCall is an electronic safety system, the aim is to automatically dial 112 in the event of a serious road accident, and wirelessly send airbag deployment and impact sensor information, as well as GPS coordinates to the nearest emergency centre. On the 8th September 2011, the European Commission adopted a Recommendation addressing the EU Member States and asking them to call on the mobile network operators to set up their networks in a way that they correctly transmit automatic 112 emergency calls generated by cars (eCalls). This service will take data from the user directly to the service operators and emergency services.

In most cases, the data provided by the content provider is “raw data” without any data refinement (meaning without generation of additional value); and the only data processing that the content provider carries out is a basic quality check to identify errors and missing data, and replace the missing or incorrect data. The data processing carried out by the content provider is done only to ensure the usability of the data for internal purposes and for the service operators. If content providers carry out additional data processing tasks such as forecasting or the generation of a thematic map based on that raw data, the content provider can then become a service operator (even if this is a very basic service).

The commercial interest of the content provider is to sell and distribute the information within the relevant TIS business area (i.e. sat nav content). Public content providers are not normally motivated by commercial interest but rather because they want to drive forward domestic or European wide policy objectives in relation to reduction of congestion, improved safety, supporting modal shift or environmental objectives. They provide data to facilitate or enhance services provided by other public/private stakeholders. There may be issues on the part of the public provider to ensure that if the data has been collected at the taxpayers‘ expense that this is not then charged for again. Rather the expectation may be that it is only the value which has been added to it by a commercial provider which can legitimately be charged for.

As noted above, in some cases, the content provider is also service operator or service provider. For example, regional or national traffic information centres often provide raw data as content provider to service operators and operate information services on their own. Local public transport operators are often not only content provider but also service provider to inform their passengers.

An example of a value chain in practice is shown in Figure 12:

Service Operator

Typically the service operator uses raw data from the content provider which is refined and used to generate useful traveller information. The refinement of raw data can be done by applying different methodologies such as data fusion with data from other data sources or by using an algorithm and historic data for a more refined result.

The generation of information consists in the integration of the data into any kind of presentation useful to the end user (e.g. generation of a thematic map, generation of animated graphic, generation travel times from traffic data etc). The raw data provided by the content provider does not have any practical use to the end user. Information is not created until the raw data is interpreted and combined to give it meaning and practical use. One example is the generation of a thematic map where traffic flow data is referenced to a road section and visualised by colouring the road section.

The service operator generates information services for different service providers and different end user devices; e.g. websites, PDAs, smart phones. An animation or a thematic map with the same content can be generated in different ways for different service providers (corporate identity) or different end user devices (different technology platforms). There are many different service operator models.

Additionally, service operators can provide clearing functionality to support interoperability of different services, i.e. a central hub for the collection and distribution of information . This functionality can also be provided by other actors of the value chain.

Communication Network Operator

The Communication Network Operator is the actor who provides the communication channels needed to deliver the information to the end user and to suitably interconnect the actors involved.

The end user typically receives information though the medium of personal computers for pre-trip information, personal mobile devices or on-board units installed in vehicles e.g. sat navs for on-trip information. In the case of personal mobile devices / on-board units the use of wireless and mobile communication technology and networks is essential for the deployment of these reference services. Nevertheless, for the service chain to work effectively, and deliver a good end user experience, requires proactive interaction between several actors in charge of collection of raw data, processing and aggregation, and preparation of contents for delivery, etc. This complex process requires the exchange of several data sources, some of which may be time-sensitive. To make this work effectively the availability of a viable fixed and mobile communication infrastructure is vital to delivering services.

For these reasons, the communication network operator is a key actor because they are in charge of managing a heterogeneous fixed/mobile network environment able to interconnect all the actors involved based on their specific needs. The communication network operator has to provide reliable communication channels which can seamlessly connect the end users, vehicles, road infrastructure, and service centres and which are resilient. Resilience is a key issue as it impacts on the credibility and usage of the services by end users. This is delivered by means of standard solutions able to guarantee the portability of the solutions in a pan-European environment and allows a modular deployment of the services and solutions according to the specific local needs. Another important consideration in terms of ICT infrastructure is having back-up systems to support the resilience of the service.

In addition, in this specific area a new role for the network operator is also starting to emerge. Traditionally network operators provide the communication link between service providers and users. Increasingly they are becoming a more active part of the supply chain through providing telecom capabilities to external actors (typically service providers and/or service operators) in order to simplify their specific job. For example facilitating the use of mobile phone signalling data to monitor travel times and congestion; or billing for value added traffic information services through mobile phone contracts. International TIS is only effectively possible to deliver if roaming fees are kept to a minimum, if not abolished completely for V2I-communications. Some progress on this has already been made; under rules set by the European Parliament, it will be less expensive to make calls and download data abroad. New limits on making and receiving calls, and downloading data came into effect in July 2012.

In this way, the external actors might not need to develop, invest, deploy and maintain expensive infrastructures themselves to deliver a dedicated service but can as an alternative use network services normally available only to the communication network operator itself (e.g. network based location, presence, ad-hoc signalling/transport channels etc.). In such circumstances, the communication network operator is no longer just the company that passively provides the network access (internet, mobile phone network, radio, television) in order to increase traffic, gain market shares and attract new users, but it actually becomes one of the proactive actors in the value chain.

Additionally, communication network operators can provide clearing functionality to support interoperability on data level for legacy applications. This functionality can be part of other actors of the value chain as well.

ITS based on wireless technologies are enabling new strategies for relieving traffic congestion, improving road safety and enhancing productivity. IP is an open, widely available, widely used, internationally interoperable communications protocol. The use of IP enables a resilient, diversely routed, telecommunications network that can adapt and expand to take advantage of developments in traffic management technologies and traveller information provision in the future. An IP device may also be contacted remotely for maintenance purposes, reducing the need for visits to the roadside.

Service Provider

The service provider is the institution who provides the direct interface to the end user with the purpose of providing services including traffic information. The service provider could be a private company or a public institution such as a local road administration or traffic information centres enabling and providing a service either to a narrow target group or a broad range of users. This could be done within the current business or as an extension of a current company or as a new enterprise.

Service providers offer the information service to their customers and have to operate all functions related to the customers such as billing, customer administration or marketing. In most cases, the service provider is acting as service operator too. This means that they use data from a content provider, process the data to generate information and provide this information to the end user. Sometimes the service provider uses a service that is operated by another service operator (e.g. many providers of internet portal services offer a routing service that is operated by a service operator such as map24: http://www.map24.com); or integrates other third party information e.g. public transport information to provide a more complete service.

If the information service provided to the end user is not free of charge, the service provider has to administrate customer billing, or absorb these costs. Furthermore, if the service provider uses content and external services that have commercial costs, they have to pay the charge for the use of content and services to the particular content provider or service operator.

The service provider may have a commercial interest in providing packaged and filtered information to a group of target users through a service. Public service providers have often the non-commercial interest in supplying information services to citizens for free to advance wider public policy objectives, i.e. supporting modal shift, managing network demand, improve safety, reducing the impact of transport emissions on the environment.

Often service providers use several communication channels and end user devices to publish their services. In most cases the basic services are provided over the internet via web information services (accessed by end users in pull mode). Sometimes, information services are also provided in push mode using email, after subscription by the users; this may be providing general access to information or can be personalised (configured by users to routes they use regularly). Often “mobile services” are derived from base internet services and are provided on mobile end user devices such as PDAs using mobile internet, mobile phones, smart phones, internet enabled devices, WAP or SMS/MMS and voice services. Clearly, service providers have to think carefully about the scalability and resilience of their systems particularly as user uptake of their services grows and they have an audience for their service. This is particularly so during periods of peak demand when there is an opportunity to impress to hold onto to early adopters and new entrants. Service downtime during such mission critical periods can ultimately damage the credibility of the service. It should be noted that it is illegal to use a mobile phone without hands-free equipment while driving in all EW countries; so it is important to remind drivers not to use mobile phones while driving etc. Legislation may evolve further in recognition of the proliferation of mobile devices and their use, including social networking.

In the future, due to the current trends in emerging standards and European R&D activities, new solutions based on the real-time interaction among vehicles (V2V communications) and vehicle-infrastructure (V2I communications) will also become available. The service providers will have to monitor this evolution and develop scalable solutions suitable for integration with the new technology as soon as they become standardised and commercially available.

End User

The end user is the customer of the service provider. The end user is interested in getting timely information so that they can travel safely to their destination in the shortest distance or journey time with the least obstacles or disruptions. The use of the information can be for private or business use. The role of information as defined is to:

• inform the individual of travel options;
• empower the individual to make fully informed choices; and
• assist the individual to successfully undertake and complete the journey by getting timely updates which allow them to be aware and if practical allow them to take avoiding action.

Increasingly end users are motivated to make travel choices by the option which has the least detrimental impact environmentally. By making users aware of the carbon or emissions savings of certain modes against others for individual trips users may alter their travel choices.

End users have a variety of needs affecting their travel which should be met to allow them to complete their journey e.g. at the lower cost, or the ability to select the most time effective/convenient journey. In order to select the lowest cost or the fastest trip, they need relevant information. When dealing with the harmonisation aspects of the service, operators should keep in mind that services (and their harmonisation) should not distract the driver.

Furthermore, providers should design services around user needs with information being delivered in formats and on the technology platforms which are most accessible to widest number of users.. Information provided to end users needs to deliver what the consumer wants when they want it and where they are. Unless the perceived benefits of access to information exceed the perceived costs, users will not consult or regularly use the information service. The cost of a trip is comprised of features such as:

• financial cost (i.e. fuel cost, tolls/RUC costs, public transport charges);
• time to be spent travelling;
• perceived comfort;
• perceived reliability;

Information access also has a cost including:

• time to discover;
• time to access;
• complexity of accessing;
• financial cost of access; and
• cost of distraction from other tasks.

Many of non-financial information access costs will be determined by the end user device, as well as the design of the information service offered by the service provider, but others will be determined by aspects of the information provided within the value chain. In most cases, the end user will take an active role by searching for information themselves (e.g. as an internet user). They expect a user friendly system with a self-explanatory interface. The end user may not always want all the rich content available from a traveller information service but may only require those elements which affect the journey they are planning to make e.g. travel time delays, road incidents etc. This requires a facility which allows the user to select the characteristics of this travel information. Regular consumers of the same service may prefer to create a personal user profile in order to reduce the input procedure; the user then receives a personalised service tailored to their needs. In the case of smart phones, the device may use its GPS functionality to identify the user’s location and then provides information relevant to that location. While the user gives some personal data he expects that privacy is guaranteed.

In other cases, end users utilise a service providing actual information without any further action required by them (like dynamic in-car navigation). The end user expects accurate information in time that covers their needs. The willingness to pay for any service depends how worthwhile it is in meeting the end users requirements.

However, end users are not a homogeneous group, and their needs will be dependent on their personal requirements and the nature of their trip. User needs may be determined by User Type; Key Function, User Position/Journey Stage and Travel Type and may be based on the way travellers use information. When undertaking detailed analysis other groups with special requirements should also be considered such as the elderly, people with reduced mobility, visually impaired, young people and those travelling with children. The schematic, Figure 13, illustrates a simplified breakdown of TIS end users. There are, naturally, many different ways to categorise end users:

• Private Traveller: Private travellers travel for private purpose.
• Commuters: Commuters travel regularly to/from their workplace. They normally take the same route and travel mode each time and the trip is mostly limited to a regional extent
• Leisure Traveller: A leisure traveller can be defined as somebody who travels only during leisure time and not for business purpose. These can be long distance tourists or people carrying out short day-to-day domestic trips (shopping, school run etc)
• Commercial Traveller: Commercial travellers travel during work hours for commercial purposes. This includes freight traffic and business travellers.
• Freight Traffic: The transportation of goods from one place to another. This includes local and long-distance distribution.

Key function relates to the information gathering, processing and using activity in which users engage, and is basically divided into five areas:

• (1) Journey creation, where a trip is planned and possibly booked;
• (2) End linkages, concerned with how the destination will be reached at the end of the transport system;
• (3) Verification (or tracking) where the journey is monitored to check progress is as planned;
• (4) Short-term anticipation (or forestalling) which involves making adjustments to travel and avoiding disruption; and
• (5) On-the-spot orientation to locate themselves on or relative to the network.

Channels of Information

Different information channels can be used for the provision of the service to the road user on end-user devices, for example:

• internet
• broadcasting facilities used by media
• analogue/digital: video, audio
• data communication: RDS, DAB
• mobile radio (2G (GPRS), 3G (UMTS), 4G (LTE)): TPEG
• roadside information infrastructure of road operators (VMS),
• I2V (infrastructure to vehicle facilities): e.g. citizen band radio, FM radio – in future cooperative systems

End user access to traffic condition information is possible by different end-user devices, for example:

• Roadside information panels (e.g. VMS)
• End user devices with internet access (PCs, tablets, mobile phones, smart phones, …)
• Navigation systems
• by mobile radio connected PNDs (e.g. TPEG or proprietary interfaces)
• RDS-TMC / TPEG (broadcast)
• Television, radio (spoken)
• Radio (data)