An Australian firm has developed a database of travel times for the Australian road network that will help motorists using GPS devices predict travel times more accurately.

Most navigation and route planning applications continue to apply outdated travel time estimations regardless of the time of departure, according to developer Intelematics Australia.

So the firm developed the SUNA Predictive service by capturing actual vehicle speeds at various points on roads rather than basing calculations on road class or speed limits.

So far, more than one billion speed measurements have been made using probe vehicles and fixed road sensors.

By using this information, the system should be able to provide  a more accurate update of the speed of a road at a particular time of the day, week, or year.

Adam Game, Chief Executive Officer, Intelematics Australia, said the company's understanding of metropolitan traffic flow is growing each day.

“We have collected sufficient data to gain an understanding of Australian traffic patterns that up until now has been difficult to achieve. The basic profiles can be extended to further differentiate based on factors, such as holiday periods or even weather conditions,” he said.

The firm previously developed SUNA Traffic Channel, a service that broadcasts real-time updates on traffic congestion and other road conditions directly to GPS devices.

By using both systems together Game says GPS users will get a predicted journey time which takes into account  factors such as the weather, road maintenance works, delays at traffic lights and traffic congestion.

As well as improving the accuracy of GPS navigation calculations, the system will be used to improve logistics and scheduling applications, while road management agencies may also use the database in capacity planning and road management applications.