Waze Integration Starting to Show up in Google Maps

[ZBB]

How do ANY of the mapping providers, when they integrate traffic, get their traffic data?

This article from about a year ago has some good info. Navteq gets data from fleet providers (FedEx is mentioned by name). They also use cell phone data -- Navteq is owned by Nokia (and not part of the Microsoft deal...).

The Forgotten Mapmaker: Nokia Has Better Maps Than Apple and Maybe Even Google - Alexis C. Madrigal - The Atlantic

 

[PhilBa]

Ok, baseline question ... as I have asked people this for years and never gotten a good reply.

How do ANY of the mapping providers, when they integrate traffic, get their traffic data?

Sensors on the road ... impossible.

I've always assume it is somehow related to cellular / mobile traffic RF. But then how would the services differentiate between a pedestrian (2mph), someone sitting down and a car doing 50?

So, if I am really asking a stupid question ... forgive me ... yet again ... but just how do they know?

Actually, Google gets it from Google maps. The mapping/nav app reports it's position periodically; they can infer from that which road the car is on and how fast it is going via successive reports. I assume they filter pedestrians out because they move really slowly. It works surprisingly well. There are enough users that it is pretty accurate and current. That's how they get secondary roads as well. One problem is when there are 2 roads that run parallel and are flowing at different speeds (like a limited access express lane next to the main line like we have in Seattle on I5 and I90).

 

[bhzmark]

Waze does it from crowdsourcing waze users GPS locations and speed. Its pretty simple and obvious. Waze sees that multiple waze users are only going 15 mph on the highway so they know that that route is jammed. They will route drivers on another road that has a higher avg speed, or at least results in a faster trip.

 

[brad.md.us]

Quite simply, Waze is far better than the current combination of TMC/Google Navigation. We Need (integrated) Waze Now! More on this is located here: Tesla: We Need WAZE Now | Forums | Tesla Motors
Please add your comments to the "We Need Waze Now!" thread at teslamotors.com