Did you know how Google Maps is able to predict traffic accurately? Read here

Apart from this, Google Maps is continuously advancing its features and capabilities to enhance mapping experiences.

Google maps is used by numerous people on a daily basis while traveling as the navigation platform effectively predicts traffic and plots routes for them.

It is one of the most popular navigation apps in the world, used by over 1 billion people every day. Utilizing Google Maps for traffic estimates and route planning brings numerous advantages to drivers. It allows them to save time and fuel by steering clear of traffic congestions and opting for the most efficient routes.

The platform provides real-time traffic updates, transit information, and location services for drivers utilizing the Global Positioning System. It also offers a route planner for bikers, walkers, drivers, and users of public transportation.

While Google maps is a boon in many ways, experts feel there are privacy concerns with it too. It is said that Google Maps collects and stores data on users’ locations and search history, raising privacy concerns for some users.

Moreover, Google Maps has one of the most elaborate mapping databases with over 1 billion kilometers in more than 220 countries and territories around the world.

It helps you find the fastest way to your destination, whether you are driving, walking, biking, or taking public transit. But how does Google Maps know the traffic conditions on the roads and the best routes to avoid congestion?

This article will shed some light on the process that allows them to accurately detect the movement of traffic.

1.     Historical data is one of the sources of information that Google Maps uses to estimate traffic and determine routes. This is based on the average speed of cars on a road at different times and days, collected over many years. For example, Google Maps knows that the 280 freeway in Northern California typically has vehicles traveling at a speed of 65mph between 6-7am, but only at 15-20mph in the late afternoon. By analyzing this data, Google Maps can predict what the traffic will look like on a future date and time, based on the past patterns.

2.     Another source of information that Google Maps uses to estimate traffic and determine routes is real-time data. This is collected from sensors and smartphones that report how fast cars are moving right now.

3.     Google Maps uses data from traffic sensors, most of which are installed by government transportation agencies or private companies that specialize in compiling traffic data. These sensors use radar, active infrared, or laser radar technology to detect the size and speed of passing vehicles and then wirelessly transmit that information to a server.

4.     Google Maps also uses data from Android phone users who turn on their Google Maps app with GPS location enabled. The phone sends back bits of data, anonymously, to Google that let the company know how fast their cars are moving. Google Maps continuously combines the data coming in from all the cars on the road and shows it as colored lines on the traffic layer, indicating clear, slow-moving, or heavily congested traffic.

5.     Google Maps also uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze the historical and real-time data to make the traffic and routing predictions more accurate. Machine learning is a branch of computer science that enables computers to learn from data and improve their performance without being explicitly programmed.

6.     Google Maps also uses data from Waze to provide more accurate and up-to-date traffic information and alerts, and to adjust the routes accordingly. It is a navigation app that allows drivers to report traffic incidents, such as accidents, disabled vehicles, slowdowns, or speed traps. Google acquired Waze in 2013, and since then, the two apps have been sharing data and features. These real-time reports appear as individual points on Google Maps, with small icons representing things like construction signs, crashed cars, or speed cameras.

7.     Google Maps integrates with Traffic Management Centers (TMCs) established by transportation authorities. TMCs monitor traffic conditions using surveillance cameras, road sensors, and other advanced technologies.

Apart from this, Google Maps is continuously advancing its features and capabilities to enhance mapping experiences.

1.     Immersive View is the most recent and upcoming innovation. It is a novel way to virtually explore places using an extensive collection of Street View and aerial images, forming a detailed 3D model enriched with real-time information like weather, traffic, and crowd levels.

2.     Another notable feature is Live View, an augmented reality function that assists users in locating nearby points of interest such as ATMs, restaurants, parks, and transit stations by simply lifting their phone while on the street. For electric vehicle (EV) drivers, Google Maps now provides insights on charging station availability, compatibility, estimated cost and time of charging, and optimal routes to maximize battery life.

3. Google Maps has incorporated 3D models of hundreds of cities in over 40 countries from Google Earth into its satellite view.