The Google Maps team announced that they’re now using anonymous data about GPS positioning and calculated speed sent from all phones running Google Maps mobile to crowdsource and extrapolate real time congestion data. It’s a simple, brilliant and totally logical piece of map tech that’s been a long time coming. I’ve been wondering for a couple of years now when and if GPS maps providers would start using all of these traffic touchpoints (ie its user base). If it hasn’t already been put in place by Garmin or TeleNav then they blew it. Anyway, you can opt out if the anonymous updates bother your, but it’s not like they don’t already know where you are since you are using their Maps services.
Google Maps crowdsources road congestion data: http://bit.ly/OG5L2
Is it crowdsourcing if the crowd isn’t aware they’re being sourced? Google Maps starts crowdsourcing traffic #fb
August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment
