TomTom today announced that it will bring TomTom High Definition (HD) Traffic to Germany through an exclusive partnership with Vodafone Germany. HD Traffic is TomTom’s traffic information system that uses GSM phones data to generate traffic information. The service is expected to be launched in Germany in the second half of 2008.

“The roll out of TomTom HD Traffic in Germany is an important step in our goal to make our superior traffic information service available to 50% of our European customers by the end of 2008”, said Harold Goddijn, TomTom’s chief executive officer. “It follows on from the partnerships previously announced with Vodafone for the UK and Dutch markets.”

To provide superior and accurate real time traffic information for all major roads in Germany, TomTom will combine multiple sources. TomTom’s in-house patented technology uses anonymously aggregated data from the Vodafone Germany network on the speed and direction that mobile phones are travelling in cars. This data is combined with existing German traffic information sources to deliver what TomTom expects to be “the best traffic information service available on the market”.

Both current and future TomTom users will be able to benefit from the service once it is available. The solution will also be available for major automotive manufacturers to include in their navigation solutions, as well as for road authorities and businesses, who may use it for dynamic traffic control management and improved fleet management.