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MS Clearflow To Help Drivers Avoid Traffic Jams

Posted by kdawson on from the get-me-outa-this dept.

Pioneer Woman writes "Microsoft announced plans to introduce a Web-based service for driving directions that incorporates complex software models to help users avoid traffic jams. The system is intended to reflect the complex traffic interactions that occur as traffic backs up on freeways and spills over onto city streets and will be freely available as part of the company's Live.com site for 72 cities in the US. Microsoft researchers designed algorithms that modeled traffic behavior by collecting trip data from Microsoft employees who volunteered to carry GPS units in their cars. In the end they were able to build a model for predicting traffic based on four years of data, effectively creating individual 'personalities' for over 800,000 road segments in the Seattle region. In all the system tracks about 60 million road segments in the US."

2 of 243 comments (clear)

  1. Stop Traffic Jams by Mikya · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I have a way to help stop traffic jams without fancy algorithms: stop tailgating the person in front of you. That way every time that person slows down slightly you don't have to slam on your brakes, thus requiring people behind you to slam on theirs causing a buildup of cars that aren't going anywhere even if traffic isn't that heavy.

    1. Re:Stop Traffic Jams by squizzar · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'd suggest what is called 'defensive driving'. If someone wants to belt it along at ludicrous speed, then let them do it, it's probably best not to be near them. Getting in their way will only encourage them to try something stupid to get round you.

      If people looked at driving as a cooperative effort - try and let everyone drive at the speed they want to - then everyone ends having a lot smoother journey. If everyone only acts in their own interests it all gets a bit more stressful and scary.