How Google Tells You About Traffic

Summary

Google Maps utilizes crowdsourcing to provide real-time traffic updates without the use of satellites.

Abstract

Google Maps has evolved from purchasing data from local services to employing crowdsourcing to deliver accurate traffic information. By analyzing the location and speed of users, the app can determine traffic conditions and suggest optimal routes. This method has proven to be more efficient and accurate than previous approaches, with the added benefit of anonymizing user data to protect privacy.

Opinions

The author expresses fascination with the technology behind Google Maps' traffic updates, emphasizing its efficiency in reducing travel time.
There is a sense of trust in Google's technology, with the author suggesting that Google's traffic predictions are more reliable than advice from friends.
The author advocates for curiosity and learning about the technologies we use daily, implying that understanding these technologies can inspire more efficient thinking and potential innovation.
The author acknowledges the importance of privacy, noting that Google anonymizes the data it collects for traffic predictions.

Hint : No satellites involved

It was just last week, I was traveling from my hometown to the urban city where my friend stays. But, again we all are humans and we tend to forget the route more often.

But, I was not worried at all. Because I had my biggest weapon of mankind to tell me the most accurate route, Google Maps. When I searched for my destination, Google map showed me 3 possible ways to reach there. It also showed me a route which has less traffic and it can make me reach faster to my destination.

It is normal for us to use common technology and never ever wonder about it. But It took me just 30 minutes to reach my destination and usually it takes me around 45 minutes(When I visited my friend 4 months ago.)

Hence, this fascinated me for the first time. While using common technology, we never bother to see how it actually works. But, I started my research on how come Google tell us about traffic. Does it have millions of satellites, to cover millions of national highways worldwide.

Google Uses Crowdsourcing Method

No, google don’t have millions of satellites out there to cover every streets and national highways in the world. Technically it is just not possible to use satellite technology to predict traffic for millions of Google Maps user.

Before 2010, when Google map was in its early stage it used to buy data from local security services and process it for you and predict the traffic for the next day. Hence, this method didn’t managed to survive in ever growing field of technology and technically it was useless to rely on local services for company like google. Duh, we trust google more than our friends.

After 2010, Google adapted a new method to tell information to their users about traffic and no wonder it has accuracy of more than 1 second of real traffic time. This method was called as Crowdsourcing.

In easier terms, when you open Google Maps app, it asks you to allow them to read your location. So, when Google Map has your location details it combines it with another person who is just driving his car next to you.

Hence, when 100s of people use google map on same street and their speed is somewhat zero. Google understands that, oh there are 100s of people on the same road and they are not moving, therefore there is a lot of traffic on this route. This information is send to other person who is planning his trip and searching for most efficient route to travel.

Isn’t it interesting that google technically uses your devices to predict about traffic for others. By the way, your information that google collects while predicting is completely anonymous, so don’t panic about your data.

There are many technologies that we use daily and we never wandered about how it actually works. Small things like your mobile to some big things like sports car. Every technology uses modern ways to make human lives easy. We should gather some time to learn about these interesting technologies, it will help you to think in more efficient way and also help you to invent something interesting in your corresponding field.