Suna™ Traffic Channel

[russellw]

Ford Australia today announced two new technology developments for the FG Falcon range, both of which are the first of their type to be introduced by an automotive vehicle brand in Australia.

Ford is the first car company to offer Suna™ Traffic Channel as an integrated feature on its satellite navigation system, which is available as an option on FG Falcon and selected

FG Falcon Ute models, as well as on the Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) FG Series.

Ford's satellite navigation system will also be the first integrated vehicle system to employ the latest Sensis Whereis® Version 15 map data, which has been upgraded with greater map coverage and content.

"Both of these new technologies are seamlessly integrated into satellite navigation-equipped FG Falcon models, delivering the very latest in convenience features for our customers, as well as extending Ford's technology leadership position," Ford Australia Chief Engineer Electrical, Stuart Taylor said.

"Ford's electrical engineering team has worked closely and collaboratively with the Suna Traffic Channel provider over the past two years to make this exciting new feature a reality for the FG Falcon, which has been designed from the outset to be a technology-capable vehicle platform.

"As the first car company in Australia to offer Suna Traffic Channel in an integrated vehicle solution, we are extremely pleased to be able to provide such relevant and useable technology to our customers from August production onwards." Suna Traffic Channel connects Ford's satellite navigation system to dynamic road traffic information, assisting the driver to avoid traffic congestion and delays. Traffic information is gathered from a range of sources, including traffic control centres, traffic lights, road sensors and probe vehicles, and then transmitted via an FM broadcast.

Suna Traffic Channel uses the international Traffic Message Channel (TMC) standard to encode traffic conditions and information, and is broadcast using the Radio Data System (RDS).

The satellite navigation system then picks up this broadcast and converts the information into easy-to-understand traffic messages, which are displayed on the seven-inch full colour TFT Interior Command Centre (ICC) screen – mounted high in the car to minimise distraction and maximise safety.

The feature only alerts the driver to messages that are relevant to the vehicle's location or planned route and, if desired, will allow the driver to re-route around the upcoming traffic delay.

Suna Traffic Channel can display information such as how long the delay will be, the cause of the delay and the estimated new arrival time. The traffic information can be displayed on the ICC screen in a number of different ways, depending upon the settings selected by the driver.

With the introduction of Suna Traffic Channel, the satellite navigation system is turned from a tool to find unknown destinations into an interactive, value-adding feature, which can be used everyday and is valuable even on the routes that a driver is familiar with, such as driving to and from work.

As this is new technology for the Australian marketplace, Suna Traffic Channel coverage will initially be available in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with more launches due for metropolitan areas around Australia in the next 12-24 months.

In addition to the introduction of this dynamic traffic information feature, all FG Falcon satellite navigation systems are now equipped with the latest Sensis Whereis® Version 15 map data (previously V14 maps).

Ford is the first automotive manufacturer to adopt the upgraded map data for an integrated vehicle system, which provides greater and enhanced coverage and content, including:

2. Traffic Message Channel location table for the eastern seaboard (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane)
3. Updated road network to 2008 street directory releases, including new roads such as EastLink in Melbourne, Victoria and the Lane Cove Tunnel in Sydney, NSW
4. The latest red light and fixed speed camera locations Australia-wide, which are displayed via pop-up warnings on the ICC screen when approaching these locations
5. The latest road speed data for most major highways and the Sydney metro area
6. More than 1.1 million kilometres of roads
7. More than 600,000 points of interest

Satellite navigation with Suna Traffic Channel* is available as an option on all FG Falcon sedans, as well as FG Falcon Ute XR6, XR6 Turbo and XR8 models, for the recommended retail price of $2,290.

* Ford has an arrangement for the Suna Traffic Channel broadcast to be provided for a minimum of five years from the time of vehicle manufacture. Coverage includes Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane metropolitan areas. Refer to www.sunatraffic.com.au for full coverage details.




Source: Ford Media

[mik]

thats great Russel ,i have been looking at gps lately and seen this feature on some after market devices but most dont seem to be up an running yet, it seems Ford aus is going the extra mile ....well done Ford.

[JutroXR8]

Still to expensive...

[TC200six]

Huh? I'll live without it. (I'm just jealous because I don't have an FG)

[Peuty]

Well I'll be damned. What a great feature!

[vztrt]

Love the drive article that has a Commodore pictured interior and praising the Falcon.

But it seems like a good feature.

[BIGJB]

I have to say that is pretty sweet.
Would be an awesome feature for those who drive all day.

[ThePistonHead]

This thing even made sunrise! Amazing technology...

[XR6_190]

Good to see Ford Australia being innovative. Now only if they could manage somehow to get LED Tail lights and Bi Xenon Headlamps. Seriously though, good news for them to be on the front foot

[Peuty]

I like the way that the ICC in the FG has full iPod integration as well.

[Grunter]

Originally Posted by Peuty

I like the way that the ICC in the FG has full iPod integration as well.

The iPhone doesn't have full integration with the FG. Tried one the other day and wouldn't show on the display.

[EgoFG]

I'd like to be able to set my Cruise control, and speed alert to be relative to the speed limit of where I am.

EG I am in an 80k zone, I set the alert at 5% above the limit (84), and the cruise at say 5% below (76 - lets say it is raining, and want to drop of a little speed)

No when I move into a 100K zone the cruise Auto adjusts to 95, and the alert adjusts to 105

[pottsy44]

Originally Posted by EgoFG

I'd like to be able to set my Cruise control, and speed alert to be relative to the speed limit of where I am.

EG I am in an 80k zone, I set the alert at 5% above the limit (84), and the cruise at say 5% below (76 - lets say it is raining, and want to drop of a little speed)

No when I move into a 100K zone the cruise Auto adjusts to 95, and the alert adjusts to 105

would you like to goto sleep while you drive too? :togo:

[EgoFG]

Originally Posted by pottsy44

would you like to goto sleep while you drive too? :togo:

Nah, I have just had a 'delicate' license situation that I am anxious to avoid repeating.

I personally believe speed limits are too restrictive and too prolific, and are used to replace the need for driver alertness - but we have what we have - so I must adapt.

I have found being vigilant with respect to speed limits takes too much attention away from good driving.

ie: my driving is not as good when I attempt to never exceed the speed limit

This is what I see as the best solution

[Dr Smith]

I've already put a call into my dealer however does anyone know if this is backward compatible with July '08 built FG's?

[RATT]

I suppose you couldn't buy this at Big W for $400 could we.....

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by RATT

I suppose you couldn't buy this at Big W for $400 could we.....

From the horses mouth, or website at least for compatible portable devices:
http://www.sunatraffic.com.au/consum...edDevices.html

[pkhannemann]

THis is not backward compatible, from what I have been told.
I feel for any one who purchased two months ago

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by pkhannemann

THis is not backward compatible, from what I have been told.
I feel for any one who purchased two months ago

: Like me, I had two calls from Ford company staff responding to referals from Suna after I queried it directly with them based on their press release. It isn't backward compatible with pre August build FG's with factory satnav as there was a hardware change post this build date on top of needing Whereis V15 mapping, which also won't be provided as a free or discounted upgrade like some portable units now on the market.

[Dave_au]

Quite limited coverage - just Sydney Melbourne and Brisbane metro.

http://sunatraffic.com.au/consumer/coverage.html

[mcnews]

Have you seen what the quoted price for satellite navigation on the FPV models is on the FPV Site? More than 3k! Select a car and build it with options on the FPV site and it quotes over 3k for the satnav.

[Elks]

If you zoom in you can see me stuck in traffic again..

[FordFella]

Brilliant now in Sydney, we can choose which congested crappy, under-laned road we want to drive on.

MMMM tolls today or tolls today how depressed about the NSW government do i want to feel.

The M5 was the stupidest short term solution this dumbass government has ever come up with, oh sorry i mean a desallination plant at Lukey Heights

[FordFella]

gtrgrtg

[FordFella]

: hello : : : :ticking: :

[Jondalar]

I bought a Tomtom XL series 30 for 360 and for around 150 more it can get SUNA for life. Very tempted but 150 seems a lot for an antenna.

[BA-Fan]

Yep Tom Tom and most GPS's now have a Suna 'option' for $150 (For Tom Tom Devices)

Tom Tom also have Map Corrections. so you can edit maps and get map updates from others..DROOLZ...

[mowog]

I have just ordered a Navman S300T

http://www.navman.com/Navman/Templat...____70703.aspx

They offered $200 trade in on my old GPS that I paid a $150 for in a bargain bin.

[Jondalar]

I've been using SUNA traffic in Brisbane for a few weeks now and I really wish I hadn't thrown my money away on it. It "works" but the service information is always so out of date. For example last week it told me no delays on the way home, but I crawled on Coronation drive for 35 min to cover 1.5km. The next day it said the Gateway had a 35 min delay but when I got to the "delay" there was NO delay at all. Yet another day Coronation drive was not moving and there was zero sign of the problem from SUNA.

Has anyone else had better experiences with SUNA, or worse?

[Grunter]

I've had pretty good experiences with it picking up delays on the Western Freeway, Centenary Hwy and Ipswich Road. I don't go into the city often so cannot comment there, however have also had good updates through Milton Road and the Inner City Bypass. I would agree that it seems slow to adjust when the traffic has cleared.