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Rather incongruously labelled High Definition Traffic, the system relies on data collected from Vodafone mobile phone owners.

"The Vodafone network can see where people are slowing down on the road," a TomTom spokesman told PC Pro. "If a certain amount of phones can be seen slowing down, that suggests a traffic jam is forming."

TomTom insists the Vodafone data is collected anonymously and that it's not privy to any information that could be used to identify the mobile network's customers.

The new range of TomTom GO x40 devices will also have a Vodafone SIM card built into them, allowing those devices to contribute data to the pool. Customers won't be charged extra for the data, although they will have to pay a monthly

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subscription fee of £9.95 for the High Definition Traffic service.

High Definition Traffic is combined with TomTom's own IQ Route data, which has been collected from TomTom owners who've allowed the company to track their journeys over the past couple of years. This historical data provides details of the traffic load on "every road, specified for every day of the week, at five minute intervals" according to the company.

The combination of the two sources of traffic data will allow the new devices provide dynamic advice on the fastest route to the driver's destination.

Petrol prices

The inclusion of the SIM card in the new devices also allows TomTom to include a couple of new, intriguing online services.

The GPS device will now offer up-to-date information on fuel prices, allowing drivers to make an informed decision on which garage is the cheapest in their area. Whether petrol stations will have to pay to be listed on TomTom isn't clear.

The devices will also offer local search, powered by Google, allowing drivers to hunt down addresses of restaurants, shops or other businesses in the area.

There will be three models in the GO x40 range, which are largely differentiated by the bundled maps. Prices start from £299, and they will be available sometime this Autumn.