TomTom and Cisco are working on what they call “ultra-fast lane level traffic technology” that will provide real-time roadside data to cut congestion and aid with the development of autonomous cars.

The platform will collect data from over 500 million TomTom devices.

The cooperation will use Cisco’s sensor, router and controller systems and its Internet of Things platform along with TomTom’s traffic tech. Developments include Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology, which can convert a fibre optic cable into an array of virtual microphones that detect and measure vehicle movements.

Said to be significantly cheaper to set up and maintain than traditional inductive loop sensor, this will be combined with data from over 500 million TomTom devices and turned into a traffic feed that can be shared with drivers and road authorities, cutting congestion as well as emissions.

The firms said the project will help support product developments to meet the demanding requirements of autonomous driving, where cars need to know what lies beyond their sensors, in real time and on each lane.