Latest Weapon in the Road Warriors Arsenal for Fighting Traffic Battles

Globis Data Inc. and Vocantas Inc. announced the signing of an exclusive partnering agreement that will allow real-time traffic information to be available to drivers via the telephone. The agreement is for the development of a voice information portal prototype that combines Globis Data's D.R.I.V.E.S. real-time traffic data with Vocantas' interactive voice response and speech recognition technologies to provide drivers with a voice-only, hands-free solution for live traffic information. This service is the first of its kind in Canada and will be available initially as a demonstration system to stakeholders in Ottawa in the summer of 2004.   Through Vocantas' Traffic OnCall solution, callers will be able to access specific traffic information on selected roads in the west end of Ottawa by simply speaking voice commands on the telephone. Globis will provide the real-time traffic information to the system that will then convert the data into real-time audio information for callers. Since the data will be updated every three minutes, callers will be able to get timely information on whether the traffic is running smoothly, slowing down or stopped.   The real-time traffic data will be provided by a separate project that Globis Data is conducting to demonstrate the use of GPS-enabled cell phones as traffic probes. This cell-phone project is being financed by Transport Canada under its Intelligent Transportation Systems RandD Plan, part of the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program.   In the future as the system expands, commuters and road warriors can be more confident and knowledgeable about traffic conditions as they evolve and fluctuate minute-by-minute, avoiding delays, plotting the most efficient route and planning ahead to avoid traffic congestion.