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The problem I can see with the MIT solution (centrally calculated 'optimum' routes) is that the availability of better routes might be made available based upon a drivers willingness to pay. Much like the 'Lexus Lanes' in California, rich folks will be steered onto relatively empty routes while po' people will be packed onto crowded, less desirable routes. Certain routes and shortcuts through politicall $ensitive neighborhoods may be kept clear by diverting traffic elsewhere.

I'd rather plan my routes locally.

I can just imagine pulling this up on my PocketPC before I leave for the day, and being able to navigate my route home much more easily.

Imagine no longer. Or, if that's not your bag, you can get a custom device designed just for telling you the Seattle traffic conditions, the TrafficGauge.

Frequently, convergence for the sake of convergence, without considering the context, is the wrong thing to do.

I was talking to someone lately who thought it was cool that devices like this were "obsolete" because of converged devices, like his Pocket PC Phone Edition PDA.

All I knew was, I'd much prefer him to be glancing at his dashboard to see the single-purpose display of a Velcroed-down TrafficGauge, than taking out his PocketPC Phone and fiddling with it while driving, trying to load the appropriate website to get the same information.

[And yes, I know he could use various interface hacks to make it simpler to load that webpage on his PocketPC. But that's not the point. The device only NEEDS one function, and no other interface. Trying to hang it like a bag off the side of something else in the name of convergence, in willful ignorance of the context in which it would be used, is a real waste of time and brainpower - and dangerous to boot!]

So, it seems to me that it would be a simple matter to plug the chips into the stickers we all have to apply to our plates when renewal time comes. Then, make the information available to people who are willing to pay for it, like that fancy traffic advisory system in Seattle (TrafficGauge.com and PDATraffic.com

Even better would be a way to fuse accurrate, timely road condition information with GPS navigation to spread traffic out onto all roadways, and allow the traffic grid system to intelligently monitor and adapt to traffic. Computerised road signage would help get the word out to people without the means for fancy gadgets.

They claim that the Seattle area has unpredictable traffic and to prove it they have this series of examples all taken at 8:15am.

Now, I don't live anywhere near Seattle but every day the traffic looks the same to me. A bunch of heavy traffic in the same places every day. This is supposed to convice me? All this product demostration did was convice me to not move to the suburbs of Seattle anytime soon and if I already had, to try some different routes.

It also just displays four highways with just the promise of "compelling upgrades" in the future should new roads be added to the system. I'm sure the "compelling upgrades" will be much teh same as some software companies who charge for the upgrade and drop support for the old product. Compelling like a court order. :)

--ibbieta

Please try the following:

• Click the Refresh button, or try again later.
  
• Open the www.trafficgauge.com home page, and then look for links to the information you want.

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