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Green light for Bavarian Traffic Information Agency (VIB)


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Siemens takes on responsibility for running the operating company and sets up a central platform for bundling transport-relevant data in Bavaria.

Erlangen, Jan 27, 2006, On behalf of the Free State of Bavaria, a consortium headed by the Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S) Group is to set up and run a state-wide Traffic Information Agency in Bavaria (Verkehrsinformationsagentur Bayern, VIB). The VIB will provide up-to-date information for all means of transport and thus enable users to optimize their traveling plans and travel routes. Traffic data for private and public means of transport – including cars, the railways and even bicycles – will be collated, evaluated and then provided to users free of charge via the Internet. The provision of certain data will also be offered in the form of value-added services for a fee. This will make it easier to avoid busy routes and rush hours and to select the best combination of transport modalities. “The Bavarian Traffic Information Agency will create the basis for making efficient use of the transport infrastructure in Bavaria”, commented Dr. Hans-Jörg Grundmann, Vice President of the I&S Group.

The VIB has been conceived as a public-private partnership (PPP). Apart form Siemens, the consortium handling the project consists of PTV Planung Transport Verkehr AG, Karlsruhe, DDG Gesellschaft für Verkehrsdaten mbH, Bonn, MDV Mentz Datenverarbeitung GmbH, Munich, and micKS MSR GmbH, Oberstdorf. The sponsor is the Free State of Bavaria. The Free State will be the owner of the systems to be installed whereas the operating company to be established by Siemens I&S and PTV will have the rights of use until the end of 2015. Earnings from the sale of value-added services will be used as reserve capital for operating the Agency, providing the basic services free of charge via the Internet and expanding the system in the future.

The Traffic Information Agency will function as a comprehensive source of transport data for all private and public means of transport and will serve as the basis for innovative, citizen-friendly transport information systems while providing a variety of services, some of which will be free while others will require payment. Starting from the existing BAYERNINFO pilot platform for the provision of transport information, the project will initially integrate existing systems such as the Bavarian Traffic Information Center (VIZ), the INTREST geodata platform and the Bavarian network of cyclists. These will be expanded and supplemented by further systems such as a road weather platform, which is still to be created, and a modern service platform for generating information and services. The agency will bring all the various kinds of information together, network them and then make them available to the general public. At the same time, the resulting extensive data pool will have the potential for generating services for local authorities and companies.

The Traffic Information Agency will be set up and operated in stages. When the control center is being set up in the next 30 months, an important aspect of development will be the acquisition of transport data in local communities which means that the range of information available will be expanded to include also local road and public transport network data. This database will then lend itself to use for community transport management. To this end, existing subsystems such as traffic computers, parking guidance systems and public transport information systems can be combined for management, traffic-control and planning tasks.

There are also plans to integrate traffic information from Austria, Italy and Switzerland in the Traffic Information Agency by taking over existing contracts. This will make additional services possible such as the provision of cross-border traffic information in the Alps region.

Further information under: http://www.siemens.com/traffic

The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) is the integrator of systems and solutions for industrial and infrastructure facilities and global service provider for the plant and projects business covering planning, installation, operation and the entire life cycle. I&S uses the electrical and technical products of other Siemens Groups in order to enhance productivity and improve competitiveness of companies in the sectors of metallurgy, water treatment, pulp and paper, oil and gas, marine engineering, open-cast mining, intelligent traffic systems and industrial services. In fiscal 2005 (to September 30) I&S employed a total of 31,700 people worldwide and achieved total sales of EUR 5.390 billion.

Reference number / Informationsnummer: I&S 1205.4900 e



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