Inrix Traffic 4 for iOS helps drivers avoid traffic congestion and estimate arrival times (video)

Love driving but hate traffic? We hear you, and so do the people at Inrix. While the company might not come to the forefront of your mind when you consider the crowded world of navigation solutions, Inrix is a significant player in the field -- even if much of its presence exists behind the scenes. The company collects and analyzes data points from nearly 100 million sources, and now it's putting that information to work with Inrix Traffic 4 for iOS. In addition to helping users avoid congestion brought on by road work, police activity, local events and traffic accidents, the app now provides drivers with optimal routes and estimated arrival times for their two most common destinations -- a feature that's somewhat reminiscent of Nokia Drive 3. Inrix also leverages its data analysis to provide users with ideal departure times and even estimate traffic congestion throughout the day based on historical information. What's more, commuters can now quickly provide these estimated arrival times and routes to loved ones and co-workers via text message or email.

While the basic version of Inrix Traffic 4 is free, you'll have the option of upgrading to a premium version for $24.99, which brings traffic camera information and allows you to add more than two common destination points. We're told that Android users will soon find these features work their way across the aisle, although Inrix isn't yet ready to give a specific arrival date. If you're curious to learn more about Inrix Traffic 4, just hop the break for a demo video and the full PR.

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New INRIX Traffic App for iPhone and iPad Gets Drivers Out of Gridlock

Free App Puts the Power of 100 Million Traffic Reporters into the Palm of Your Hand

KIRKLAND, WA - MAY 22, 2012 - INRIX, a leading international provider of traffic information and driver services, introduces a new app for the iPhone and iPad that helps drivers take control of their commute and avoid traffic. With drivers spending up to 60 hours last year idling on America's Worst Roads1, INRIX Traffic helps cut the cost of gridlock with the following time-saving features:

Your Fastest Routes to Home & Work: Drivers can easily decide which route is the best choice to get around today's traffic. Only INRIX analyzes the impact accidents, sporting events, concerts and other unique local events have on traffic to deliver the fastest routes with the least delay.

Recommended Departure & Travel Times: The INRIX Traffic Forecast Slider shows drivers the best options for avoiding frustrating delays now and in the future.
Share INRIX Arrival Times: Easily send your INRIX Arrival Time instantly to any contact with just a few taps.

Personalized Traffic Alerts: Drivers can uniquely tune their app to only alert them to accidents and other incidents causing delays along their route.

"We're putting 100 million traffic reporters into the palm of your hand," said Kevin Foreman, INRIX Vice President of Consumer Applications. "Our latest release helps drivers never be late again."

INRIX Traffic is powered by the same company relied on by leading global automakers like Audi, Ford and Toyota. INRIX covers more roads with greater accuracy than any other traffic service delivering time and fuel-saving insight to drivers for more than one million miles of highways, interstates, city streets and heavily traveled local roads in the U.S. and one million kilometers across Europe. INRIX uniquely combines insights from the world's largest community of more than 100 million daily drivers with hundreds of other sources to deliver insight accurate within 2 mph of actual traffic speeds under all driving conditions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

INRIX at Work

Besides INRIX Traffic, the company's massive archive of traffic information and advanced analytics engine are shedding new light on traffic congestion, its impacts and how to help solve them. Today's release of the INRIX Traffic Scorecard reporting on the impact of traffic congestion worldwide found drivers in America's 10 Worst Traffic Cities sit idle on average 44 hours a year in gridlock. The Top 10 Worst Traffic Cities for 2011 and the time wasted annually by drivers in these cities annually are:

Honolulu (58 hours)
Los Angeles (56 hours)
San Francisco (48 hours)
New York (57 hours)
Bridgeport, CT (42 hours)
Washington, D.C. (45 hours)
Seattle (33 hours)
Austin (30 hours)
Boston (35 hours)
Chicago (36 hours)

Tuesday at 8:00 AM was the busiest morning commute hour, and Friday at 5:30 PM was the worst evening rush hour. Each weekday morning, overall national congestion peaks between 7:45 to 8:00 AM. Overall national evening congestion peaks between 5:30 and 5:45 PM.

Consumers interested in learning more about the impact of traffic congestion on their own commute can view information unique to their city including how many hours they waste idle every year, the worst roads, how traffic is trending and other insights by downloading the mobile app and tapping the bar graph icon at the bottom of their home screen.

The new INRIX Traffic App is available today as a free, ad-free download for iPhone; iPad and iPod Touch from the Apple App Store. To learn more about the INRIX Traffic, visit www.inrixtraffic.com.