What is Floating Car Data?

Floating Car Data (FCD) is a method to determine the average traffic speed on roads based on the collection of localization data, speed, direction of travel, and time information from driving vehicles.

This data is the essential source for traffic information and for most intelligent transportation systems (ITS).

This means that every appropriately equipped vehicle acts as a moving sensor for the road network.

Based on this data, traffic flows can be identified, travel times can be calculated, and traffic reports can be instantly generated. In contrast to traffic cameras, number plate recognition systems, or sensor loops embedded in the roadway, rolling out an FCD-based system requires no additional hardware investment on the road network.

There are two main types of floating car data in operation today:

Cellular Floating Car Data (CFCD)
CFCD data is derived from cellular networks. The main benefit is that no special devices or hardware are needed and every mobile phone becomes in fact a sensor. The location and movement of the mobile phone is determined using one of several location technologies available by the mobile network. The large number of mobile handsets that are constantly on the move make it possible to extract high-quality data from the network.

GPS-based FCD
With this technology, the floating data is derived from different type of devices that are equipped with a GPS receiver. The data is then communicated with the service provider using the regular on-board radio unit or via cellular network data. Therefore, the system can located the exact location and movement of that specific car, calculating the speed it is moving at.