18.03.2021Support on return to work and the CBD

RACV-owned Intelematics has released the most comprehensive road traffic data covering Victorian roads. The new online service will help the Victorian government, councils, engineering firms, businesses and industry get back on their economic feet and manage the safe return of workers to the CBD.

Intelematics is Australia’s leading provider of real-time traffic and mobility information. Its INSIGHT tool provides up-to-date data and analytics about traffic speed, congestion and patterns – including where vehicles are travelling from and to.

Using a complex network of wireless road sensors, cameras and vehicles connected to its network, INSIGHT combines three billion data points to also track vehicle type and identify the busiest intersections. It replaces manual traffic tracking methodologies like tube counts and traffic surveys, with data refreshed every 15 minutes. INSIGHT covers more than 21,000kms of Victorian roads, 32 local government areas (LGAs), and 566 suburbs.

The new Victorian road and traffic data is being released in line with the Victorian Government’s plan to increase CBD workplace attendance, for both private and public sectors, to 75 per cent.

“COVID has changed how Victorians travel and use our roads forever,” says John Cardoso, Senior Product Manager, Intelematics. “With so many people now working from home and the gradual return to CBD offices, traffic on our roads has become less predictable and we need dynamic tools to understand traffic and people movement.

“As people movement is directly linked to economic activity, we believe INSIGHT will provide Victorian businesses and local governments with the traffic data and insights they need to make informed decisions and measure success, ultimately supporting economic growth and a safe and gradual transition to the new COVID norm,” Cardoso adds.

INSIGHT provides comprehensive data, displayed on an easy-to-interpret dashboard, for major arterials and minor roads across the CBD and suburbs – including the West Gate Freeway, Punt Road and the Hume Highway. It also includes regional areas such as Greater Geelong, the Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Ranges.

The data is validated against real-time information from road authorities to produce 96 per cent accuracy.

INSIGHT has been used in New South Wales for the past year – covering 20,000kms+ of roads, 470 suburbs, and 38 local government areas.

Intelematics’ recent analysis of NSW roads has shown an increase in suburban driving and localism, due to COVID, which has put many suburban roads under pressure.

“As an organisation we exist to help our customers, whether they be local government authorities or major employers in the CBD. Our aim is for them to make better-informed business decisions, by way of an intuitive, powerful and smart data intelligence platform,” says Nick Marks, CEO, Intelematics.

“As we start to establish what the new COVID-norm looks like, we hope to have played a part in helping workplaces, governments and industry navigate this transition safely using the best data available,” Marks adds.

INSIGHT is designed for supporting those who need accurate road and traffic data to make decisions about road and traffic projects, including new roads, intersections and active mobility upgrades such as bike paths. It also gives them the ability to understand the impact of major road projects on road users and communities – before they commence.