Traffic Information Centers (DIC)

Traffic information center is a system that provides control over current traffic situation, allows for telematic control procedures, and spreads traffic information (information boards, RDS-TMC, Internet). The DIC collects, evaluates and distributes authorized/verified traffic information.

DIC features a core data store (CDS) that contains authorized, digital, and geographically located traffic information encoded using the Alert-C protocol. The data is ready to be distributed among public office institutions, crisis groups, road users and so on. Moreover, the system provides cross-the-border exchange of traffic information within EU countries.

In the Czech Republic, the system has been used by National Traffic Center in Ostrava (NDIC) and two regional control centers (Prague, Brno).

Major goals of DIC include

• Central supervision over traffic situation
• Central control of traffic
• Distribution of traffic information to public
• Supply of purpose-oriented traffic information to experts (traffic engineers)

NDIC Features

NDIC processes and provides information to drivers via RDS-TMC. It receives miscellaneous traffic information about current traffic situation from many subjects including the police, firefighter departments, rescue teams, and traffic correspondents. Also, NDIC communicates with other JSDI applications (winter road announcements, central registry of blocked roads and so on).

Due to tight cooperation among individual RDIC (regional traffic information centers), NDIC contains updated data from the entire area of the Czech Republic for further distribution to drivers.

DIC includes three major subsystems with related functions

• Dispatcher Supervision
• Traffic Control
• Traffic and Control Information

Further subsystems include

• System Management
• Analytic Applications for Traffic Engineers

Reference Installations

• NDIC Ostrava
• DIC Praha (since 2005)
• DIC Praha (since 2007)