Clear Channel Readies Predictive Traffic Service

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 6/8/2010

Detroit - Clear Channel will deliver Inrix-provided predictive traffic info through its HD Radio-based traffic-information service in the early third quarter when, as previously announced, it expands the service to include local and national weather conditions, sports scores and news headlines.

With the new Predictive Traffic Flow feature, Clear Channel's Total Traffic HD Plus data service will forecast travel times based on current traffic conditions and an analysis of how the conditions will change over time, the radio broadcaster explained. Another new predictive feature, Traffic-Influenced Key Route Travel Times, will provide a snapshot of current and forecast traffic conditions on major travel routes in each city. To deliver these features, Total Traffic HD Plus monitors real-time speeds and congestion on more than 260,000 miles of roads covering all major metropolitan areas and connecting highways across North America, the company said.

The service will also be upgraded in the third quarter to deliver gas prices provided by Inrix from more than 110,000 gas stations nationwide.

The expanded service will go commercial in the early third quarter in the 63 metro areas where the company already offers real-time traffic data via HD Radio broadcasts. The data are delivered to installed in-vehicle navigation systems as well as to mobile devices, such as PNDs (portable navigation devices), equipped with HD Radio tuners.

  The company plans to expand the HD Radio data service by 2011 to all of the 110 markets where it deliver real-time traffic data through its RDS-based analog-FM Total Traffic Network service, a spokesperson said.

  Clear Channels' RDS- and HD Radio-delivered traffic data uses data provided by Inrix,, which uses "crowd-sourced" traffic speeds transmitted in real-time from more than 2 million GPS-equipped vehicles. Inrix also captures data from traffic sensors and electronic toll tags. That data is combined with information provided by 65 Clear Channel operations centers, which monitor roadways via on-street reporters, traffic cameras, tip lines, mobile units and police scanners.

 As previously announced, a JVC nav system available since April will be the first product announced to date to take advantage of the Total Traffic HD Plus services. The $1,199-suggested double-DIN KW-NT3HDT in-dash navigation system features CD/DVD player and embedded iTunes-tagging HD Radio.

The KW-NT3HDT is JVC's first nav unit with built-in HD Radio and first double-DIN product with built-in HD Radio. Other features include USB Host port, embedded Bluetooth, and 400MHz CPU for quick route recalculation and faster start-up time.