This information was then transmitted to servers, and regular traffic updates could then be announced. These traffic sensors used laser radar or active infrared technology that could detect how fast the overall traffic was moving by observing the general size and speed of automobiles. ![]() Until 2009, Google collected data from traffic sensors and cameras on the roads that were mostly installed by government transportation agencies and certain private companies that compiled traffic data for various purposes. Traffic Sensors Closed-circuit television cameras (Photo Credit: Adrian Pingstone / Wikimedia Commons) If you have the Google Maps app on your smartphone (or any other electronic device), you can access info on the current traffic conditions on any given road/highway. Google has a special built-in feature called Google Traffic on its Maps app that shows traffic conditions in real-time on major roads in particular geographic locations. Short answer: Google used to rely on traffic sensor data, but now it collects traffic-related information from its own users who have toggled their location to ‘on’ in the Google Maps app. Google Traffic does exactly that for you, but have you ever wondered how they accomplish it? Many phone applications and programs rely on Google’s data to provide accurate information relating to your geographical location.įinding locations is still not too difficult if you have access to a map of the area, but we still can’t know about traffic conditions without some help. However, thanks to the level of sophistication that we’ve attained today, we can check the status in real-time via Google Maps. In the past, the only way you could learn about how the traffic was moving on a particular road was to tune in to the hourly radio broadcasts. I learned a life-changing lesson from this experience: it’s practically a technological sin to not check the current traffic before embarking on a long or critical ride on the road. Afterwards, I drove as fast as I safely could, but just as I reached the platform, I saw the very last car of the train pulling out of the station. Towards the end of the traffic jam, I saw that a truck had toppled over, which had caused some serious damage to the road and slowed down the traffic. It continued like that for almost 30 minutes. It was the very definition of moving at a snail’s pace. Gradually, the traffic slowed even further until I found myself at a complete standstill. I began to get a little nervous, as that route didn’t usually have much traffic, especially in the early hours of the morning. 45 minutes into the drive, the traffic began slowing down. To be on the safe side, I left my house at 6 AM – 2 hours before the scheduled departure time of the train. ![]() A drive from my house to the train station typically takes around an hour and a half. This way, Google can provide real-time traffic updates to all of its Maps app users by first obtaining information from them.Ī few months back, I left my house in the wee hours of the morning to catch a train at 8 AM. ![]() Google collects information about the current traffic conditions on any given road/highway from its own users who are sharing their geographic location with the app. Google Traffic works by crowdsourcing data from users who have toggled their location to ‘on’ in the Google Maps app. How Does Crowdsourcing Help Google Collect Traffic Data?. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |