http://www.rds-tmc.co.uk/

TMC codes need to be on the data disc so if early versions didn't contain the codes, no TMC functionality.

ABC

 

Apols if this is a little late, doing some catching up...
TP=the RDS voice based system that cuts in with traffic announcements from different FM stations
TMC=text based system (distributed in the UK via the Classic FM) that can be displayed in table format and is used for dynamic routing.

 

TMC works fine in my 55 plate 550 with pro set-up.

It might be that the TMC codes/license are not there or have expired on your nav-DVD. Should be find on a new car.

However the TMC data is a total pile of pooh. It lags sooooooo far behind the real road conditions to be useless.

I have previously sat stationary in a traffic jam on the M5 for 70 minutes when the TMC showed no jam, then a 2 min delay then back to no jam. I've also had the opposite where it was reporting jams and lenghty delays when the road was totally clear.

It is frustrating as in europe the quality if data transmitted seems better and you can use the system. But in the Uk the data sent out by Classic FM is so poor as to be totally useless.

 

Have to say, from my experience, I totally disagree. I find it works very well and is up to date as long as it has a chance to get the messages before you hit the traffic. I travel to and from work about 9 or 10 miles. The quickest way is to go one junction along the M25 towards the Dartford Tunnel and then onto the A2. As you can imagine that stretch of the M25 can quite often get snarled up. I can see the M25 at Junction 3 from my office so I know if it's jammed or not before I leave. Without fail I set my route home with TMC on when I leave work and it always gets the traffic conditions spot on and will immediately route me a different way. If the traffic isn't too slow it will still send me on the M25 but I guess that's because it's still quicker than the alternative.

I also travel around the country on a regular basis and it's worked just as well then. I feel like I'm travelling blind without it!
As with anything though, it can only work as well as the data it receives so if TMC themselves aren't sending out the messages correctly it won't work. And hey, it's free so you're no worse off!

 

I find TMC inconsistent.

I just completed a 650 mile drive and TMC worked seamlessly in the UK, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland. But it definately gives some false info at times. For instance, this morning it said there was 15 miles of slow moving traffic on the M25 eastbound between junctions 10 and 8 and that I could expect 20 minute delays and it wanted to reroute me. I declined because when I go to the A3/M25 junction the overhead signs said nothing. I sailed through without any delay. It turns out there were huge queues westbound because of an earlier lorry fire but eastbound there wasn't even a rubbernecking delay.

I've turned off the dynamic routing so that I can be involved in any rerouting decision. TMC will sometimes take you off a slow moving trunk road and dump you into almost stationary traffic on local roads; that's the proverbial "from the frying pan into the fire".

 

A real shame we cannot add a third party plug in to the IDrive system. http://www.traffictv.co.uk/ is THE benchmark system in the UK. It costs under ?50 subs for the year is downloadable to any decent mobile phone and has saved my bacon several times. Obviously a motorway accident a mile ahead will never be caught, but 95% of the time it is spot on.

Now a progman update to incorporate a user system such as that would be seriously useful. I doubt it however as BMW seem to have gone down this patchy TMC route.