The digitization of road infrastructure management places ever-increasing demands on data quality, availability, and the ability to predict developments on the roads. The METIS 5 system responds to these needs - a new generation of dispatching and data platform for road meteorology, traffic monitoring, and variable traffic signs.
After more than ten years in operation, the METIS 4 application is being replaced by a new generation system. METIS 5 represents a technologically modernized platform for the collection, processing, visualization, and distribution of data from road weather monitoring, traffic surveillance, and variable message signs.
The first production deployment took place in February 2024 as a beta operation within a smaller project in Sweden. The full migration of all devices supplied by our company across Czech roads and motorways was completed in October 2025, strategically ahead of the winter maintenance season.
Today, METIS 5 integrates in a live production environment:
- 400+ Road Weather stations
- 300+ traffic surveillance cameras
- 250+ Variable Message Signs
- 250+ active users, including dispatchers, technicians, and road network operators
In terms of both scale and functionality, METIS 5 represents a robust national ITS data and traffic operations platform.
Architectural Shift: A Scalable and Sustainable Backend
One of the main objectives of the new generation was the technological modernization of the application core. METIS 5 is built on a modern software architecture that reflects current requirements for:
- Scalability with a growing number of devices and data streams.
- Higher performance in real-time telemetry data processing.
- Modularity and openness for further integration.
- Long-term sustainability and system extensibility.
The backend has been optimized for the efficient ingestionacquisition, validation, and distribution of large volumes of heterogeneous data - from standard meteorological parameters to image data and transport infrastructure status information. The system is ready for further development in the areas of data services and advanced analytics.
User Interface: More Insight, Better Decisions
The presentation layer of the system remains an important part of the overall METIS 5 concept. The frontend has long met the requirements for clarity of the dispatch environment, quick orientation in the traffic network situation, and effective work during critical conditions such as winter maintenance, black ice, or heavy precipitation.
At the same time, the user interface is an area that we want to develop further.
The next stage of development will focus primarily on:
- Expanding and clarifying overview panels (dashboards).
- Better connecting data across sources.
- Supporting faster and more confident operational decision-making by dispatchers.
The goal is for the METIS 5 user environment to not only display the growing volume of data from modern devices, but also to increasingly help interpret this data in the context of the current traffic and weather situation.
Modern weather stations now provide a broader range of data than before. METIS 5 not only displays this data, but also allows it to be evaluated in a broader context using map layers, time series, and dashboards, which significantly supports the operational decision-making of road administrators.
Integrated Forecasting Services Across Europe
A key new feature of METIS 5 is its expansion into advanced meteorological forecasting.
The system now provides:
- General numerical weather prediction (NWP) data for the whole of Europe.
- Specialized route-based road weather forecasts for roads and motorways (point, route-based, area-based).
These applied local forecasts are optimized for road infrastructure operations and focus on parameters critical for road safety and maintenance planning, such as road surface temperature, icing risk, precipitation totals, and predicted road surface conditions over time. This functionality moves METIS 5 from the role of a monitoring system to that of a predictive decision-support tool for maintenance and intervention planning.
METIS 5 as a Data Platform for Other ITS Projects
Thanks to its standardized data interfaces, METIS 5 serves not only as a traffic operations tool, but also as an integration platform for other ITS systems.
The system currently provides automated data services for, among others:
- The D4 Příbram-Písek motorway PPP project (Czech Republic): provision of forecast meteorological data for operations and maintenance
- The Bratislava Region (Slovakia): provision of RWIS and camera data to the InVipo system used by regional road authorities
In this way, METIS 5 supports cross-border ITS interoperability and extends the use of road weather and traffic data beyond a single traffic control center.
A Natural Step in the Evolution of Road Technologies
The transition from METIS 4 to METIS 5 is not just a software version upgrade, but a comprehensive generational shift that responds to current demands for:
- Increasing volume and quality of data from road infrastructure
- Predictive maintenance management
- Integration across systems and countries
- Long-term technological sustainability
METIS 5 therefore establishes a solid foundation for the further development of digital services in road meteorology, intelligent transport systems, and road infrastructure management.
Are you interested in more information about the technical capabilities and integration of the METIS 5 system? Contact our team and we will be happy to provide you with details.
