Tmc Services; What Is A Tmc Service?; Services Provided In Europe; How Tmc Services Work - Volkswagen PASSAT - YEAR 2001 Manual

The Electrics

TMC services

What is a TMC service?

A TMC (Traffic Message Channel) service is the
net result of the activities undertaken by a service
provider to broadcast traffic information. To
make use of these services, the road user only
requires an RDS-TMC receiver.

Services provided in Europe

European TMC services - public and private -
are already available. A network providing
European-wide coverage was in place by early
2000. Each service relates to a country in which
it provides either regional or nationwide
coverage. By agreement, all national or
international service providers provide cross-
border traffic information for long-distance
drivers.

How TMC services work

Code numbers (TMC Location) have been
assigned to all sections of motorways and
major trunk roads.
Traffic events (road closure, traffic jam, slow-
moving traffic) have event codes
(TMC Events) corresponding to the extent of
the traffic delay (e.g. length of tailback).
The navigation computer can refer the
TMC Locations and Events to the maps which
it uses for navigation purposes by means of a
conversion table.
All data are broadcast nationwide in the
same form.
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Public and private
TMC services for broadcasting general traffic
information are freely available in all European
countries.
These messages relate to road safety and
various traffic delays. Europe's free and public
services are collectively known as the "ALERT
Service". Other TMC services will not be
provided free of charge.
These services relate to value-added information
or messages intended for special user groups.
As soon as the system receives information on
traffic delays on sections of the planned route,
it reevaluates their viability. If the system
deems recalculating the route necessary, it
may include a detour where required.