Amsterdam-based TomTom, a location technology specialist, announced on Monday that it will collaborate with the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and five other partners, to provide traffic services with “more extensive and effective safety warnings” to Dutch drivers.
The Dutch Ministry, ANWB, Be-Mobile, Inrix, Hyundai, and Kia have entered into a new three-year partnership that will provide enhanced safety features to TomTom Traffic Services users.
Mike Schoofs, MD of TomTom Enterprise, says, “Road safety has always been a priority for TomTom. This partnership will help make driving even safer. We are proud to be working on this initiative with the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management to improve road safety.”
About TomTom
Founded in 1991 by Harold Goddijn, Pieter Geelen, Corinne Vigreux, and Peter Frans Pauwels, TomTom is a digital mapping and routing company that focuses on car navigation. The company’s aim is to gain a competitive advantage through superior products, a leading brand, and a flexible production structure.
TomTom claims to offer better maps through a combination of its high-quality map database that is continuously kept up to date through input from its extensive fleet of surveying vehicles and its large community of users.
Headquartered in Amsterdam and with offices in 30 countries, the company’s technologies are trusted by millions of drivers, businesses and governments every day.
A complete picture of traffic and hazards
According to a statement, data from TomTom and the national road traffic database are integrated (Nationaal Dataportaal Wegverkeer, or NDW). As a result, it will present a more thorough image of traffic hindrances, slow-moving traffic, and occurrences such as road construction, road closures, and limitations. The accuracy of the data is continuously checked to ensure its quality. The privacy of drivers is safeguarded when data is shared and combined.
TomTom says that Dutch drivers will now be able to travel more securely and comfortably with such features, which will be made accessible to all TomTom Traffic Services customers. Drivers will automatically obtain the new functionality. The government will set standards for the in-car notifications to ensure that they won’t unnecessarily disturb drivers.
Mark Harbers, Infrastructure and Water Management Minister, says, “By now, 98 per cent of motorists use digital information while driving. In addition, pilots and projects have shown that warning drivers en route has a positive effect on road safety. I am keen to capitalise on these developments, not least because drivers of cars and lorries, for example, have indicated that they value these warnings and are increasingly relying on them.”
The Netherlands is preparing for 2025 European regulations to take effect by launching the Safety Priority Services project. Besides the notification on nearby traffic, drivers will also get warnings about oncoming traffic as well as crucial information to improve road safety, such as relevant speed restrictions.
In the longer term, it will also be explored if the service might help increase awareness of risky circumstances to avoid, such as those in school zones.
