New GPS Navigator Relies On 'Wisdom of the Crowds'

Hugh Pickens writes "The New York Times is running an article on Dash Express, a new navigation system for automobiles that not only receives GPS location data, but broadcasts information about its travels. Information is passed back to Dash over a cellular data network, where it is shared with other users to let them know if there are slowdowns or traffic jams on the road ahead. The real benefit of the system isn't apparent until enough units are collecting data in a given area - so Dash distributed over 2,000 prototype units to test drivers in 25 large cities."

Comments

So how long

[RichPowers]

before users get a button to press when they see a speed trap? If enough users report a speed trap at a given intersection or off-ramp, the system could issue an alert to other drivers approaching the area. People would love that.

Re:So how long

[markdavis]

They won't NEED speed traps anymore. Now that you have volunteered to give your position and speed information via GPS to the authorities by broadcasting it all the time, "your ticket is in the mail" from *ANYWHERE*.

No thanks. There is enough monitoring of citizens' activities and controlling what we are "allowed" to do, already.

Re:So how long

[Anonymous Coward]

They won't NEED speed traps anymore. Now that you have volunteered to give your position and speed information via GPS to the authorities by broadcasting it all the time, "your ticket is in the mail" from *ANYWHERE*. If they get rid of speed traps you'll probably just find that someone will find a way of sending false data, or even more likely turning it off. Speed limiters anyone?

But more importantly if you're not speeding you don't have a problem, no one needs to speed, we just do, and yes I include myself in "we". I ride a medium paced motorbike (upper limits of learner legal in ACT, Australia, which is a fair bit more powerful than most countries/other Australian states allow for learners). I've timed the difference between going flat out and lane splitting where I could versus travelling at the marked speed limit and only bothering to overtake the people doing at least 5kph below the limit and I'm only able to gain on average about 30seconds over a 15minuteish trip into work.

95% of the time all the traffic lights slow every one down to the same average even if they are accelerating much faster and pushing the speed limit by as much as they are prepared to.

Wisdom of crowds?

[johndiii]

Here's a counterpoint. While this is not really a "wisdom of crowds" application (being rather just a mass data aggregation scheme), it's worth noting that crowds are prone to fads and other mistaken behavior. Mass decision-making seems to work best with unconscious decisions, choices that everyone makes but does not think about a whole lot.

I could see this system working, though, at least reasonably well. If I see a lot of GPS units going to a particular area, and then slowing down and stopping, I might want to avoid that area. Unless, of course, I'm on the way to a football game or something like that. :-)

Compare timestamps and update

[aembleton]

I had an idea similar to this last year, but I wasn't planning on transmitting data through the mobile phone networks as that could get costly. I thought that each unit could automatically connect to any open wifi network and download the traffic information for the whole country, much like this one sounds like it does. But, when units pass each other on the road, then they should compare time stamps and then update each other to the newest copy. At that point they could also update each other on slow downs and where they happen, as well as slow downs taken from other units as they passed. This would avoid the expense of a mobile network and the risk of a centralised collection of data.

I currently have one of the mentioned Garmin units here in the UK that uses FM bands to pick up traffic information. The biggest problem is only the major routes are updated, and even then are sometimes missing traffic jam information.

This unit does sound very good though, and I look forward to getting my hands on one.

Sounds really secure...not

[Bearhouse]

FTA:

"data collected anonymously from Dash units is added to the group database"

and

"Dash's outgoing information is sent over a cellular data network, which is also used to receive things like minor software updates and traffic alerts. Large amounts of data, like major map revisions, come through the Dash's built-in Wi-Fi receiver. The unit will automatically spot open Wi-Fi networks and connect."

Finally,

"The prospect of a G.P.S. unit continuously reporting a car's speed and location gives some drivers the willies, but Ms. Bender said that the information was sent anonymously -- there was no way to know which car it came from. If the unit is stolen, the company can send a signal to erase its memory, including driving data and the address book, so that it can't be extracted."

Hopefully your unit will not be stolen while you've parked your car overnight, or even for a hour, so you'll have time to get them to send the kill code before the unit is compromised.

If this thing connects to Wifi then it must have a unique network ID, ditto for GSM. Sounds like a gift for the DHS guys.
Now, where is my tinfoil hat?