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Improving GPS Systems with Traffic Flow Data

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the turn-left-at-the-gridlock dept.

An anonymous reader writes "According to a story in Technology Review, some GPS companies are factoring in traffic flow and time of day. From the article: 'Tele Atlas, a Boston-based company that provides digital maps and navigational content, has integrated new trafficking software into its map database so that drivers can find the most optimal route based on speed rather than distance — for any stretch of road at any hour of any day of the week.'"

5 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. It's going to be great when everyone is using this by Richard+McBeef · · Score: 5, Funny

    Then everyone is going to be on the fastest route. Those old slow, traffic infested roads will be like ghost towns.

  2. Real time? by gorrepati · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Bah! This doesn't give you real time data. Only slightly better than present day GPS'.

    --
    You will never have experience until after you needed it.
  3. Re:I know i posted already... But! by Fry-kun · · Score: 3, Informative

    California (rather, Bay Area) has a very nice service: 511
    You can dial "511" from any cellphone and you'll get a voice-guided helper - you tell it which major road you're taking (or choose origin/destination) and it tells you how long it would probably take and if there are any slowdowns along the way.

    I use it every time I get into bad traffic - that way I know when I need to just wait a few minutes to clear it or take local roads to get around it, instead.

    --
    Did you know that "FTW" ("for the win") is a direct translation of "Sieg Heil"?
  4. Ultimate Navigator by qray · · Score: 3, Funny

    What is needed is to turn the car navigator into small wireless device. Then traffic flow rates can be passed from car to car. Accidents can be reported in real time and traffic adjusted accordingly. - Q

  5. Tele Atlas is not Boston based company by ivano · · Score: 3, Informative
    It's listed on the Dutch stock exchange and its main office is in Ghent, Belgium, Europe. They have an office in Boston but most of the developers and infrastructure for the US is done in Lebanon, NH.

    I kinda wonder how much research was done on the article if they can't get even the simple stuff right. What's next, "Microsoft, a Silicon Valley company, is launching its new operating system..."