TISGRADE (Traffic management Information Services upGRADe Europe) is a newly funded CEF project, with the goal of improving the availability, quality, and interoperability of Real-Time Traffic Information (RTTI) data across the EU and associated countries. This will help drivers and mobility services make better decisions, leading to safer and more efficient use of Europe’s roads.
The project aligns directly with the requirements set out in the updated EU Regulation on Real-Time Traffic Information (2022/670/EU) and supports the goals of the ITS Directive (EU 2023/2661). Running from November 2025 to December 2028, with funding from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and participation from 20 EU Member States and Norway, the project engages both public authorities (national, regional, and local) and private service providers. Its focus is on delivering the tools, processes, and infrastructure needed to ensure that key traffic data (including static and dynamic datasets related to speed limits, road works, and road closures) is accurate, accessible via National Access Points (NAPs), and maintained over time.
The TISGRADE Technical Scope
TISGRADE’s technical implementation and key areas address the entire data lifecycle focusing on:
- Tooling for data collection and digitisation: supporting authorities in transforming local road data into structured digital formats.
- Quality validation: introducing tools and workflows for automated checks on both static datasets (e.g., road geometry, signage) and dynamic datasets (e.g., road closures, temporary speed limits).
- Upgrading National Access Points: ensuring NAPs support harmonised access to RTTI services, in line with metadata requirements and findability criteria defined in the EU Delegated Regulation.
- Closing the Feedback Loop: operationalising a semantic data quality loop where service providers can feed back discrepancies, gaps, or errors to data owners, enabling iterative data improvement.
The project explicitly aims to support long-term data maintenance. This includes defining internal processes and ensuring road authorities are technically equipped and organisationally ready to maintain RTTI datasets.
How TISGRADE Builds on Previous Work by TN-ITS
TISGRADE builds on a sequence of prior EU-funded initiatives in which the TN-ITS platform has played a major role:
- TN-ITS GO introduced TN-ITS services in 13 Member States, focusing on the exchange of static road data (e.g., speed limits) between public authorities and map providers.
- NAPCORE advanced data standardisation by coordinating the integration of TN-ITS with DATEX II, and by providing new tools for assessing data quality and accessibility (e.g., deliverable TN-ITS M4.2.7).
- deployEMDS introduced a reference architecture and shared technical components to improve interoperability along the full data value chain.
- The extension of the NAPCORE project will continue this work by reinforcing service discovery and metadata harmonisation through the European NAPs.
TISGRADE will apply these tools and data standards in real-world settings, based on clearly defined use cases, with a specific focus on the priority RTTI services identified by the EU RTTI Task Force and rated by TISA’s “5-star” quality scheme.
A major innovation is the implementation of the semantic feedback loop, which allows service providers to report issues or gaps in the data back to the public authorities, which not only improves data quality but also fosters collaboration between stakeholders.
The role of ERTICO and TN-ITS
ERTICO is a key partner in TISGRADE and will lead the speed limit deployment case. This aligns with ERTICO’s role as host of the multistakeholder TN-ITS innovation platform, which promotes the use of standardised road data exchange services across Europe.
Several TN-ITS members are directly involved in TISGRADE, and the TN-ITS platform management will ensure alignment between project tasks and ongoing platform activities. This includes:
- Coordination of pilot implementations
- Dissemination of best practices
- Supporting national road authorities with technical integration and process setup
The TN-ITS–NAPCORE team has been instrumental in securing the TN-ITS platform’s involvement, and the project reflects ERTICO’s long-standing support for operationalising RTTI data sharing in line with EU policy.
For the TN-ITS community, TISGRADE represents a clear opportunity to contribute to the implementation of Regulation 2022/670, enhance national RTTI services, and ensure that the data standards and tools developed through past projects are applied in a coordinated, scalable way.