Google traffic data

whoever,heywhoever,hey Posts: 30,992
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Where does Android google traffic data come from? in particular non motorway traffic data? Is it everyones android devices in the traffic? I'm just surprised at the accuracy of both motorway and non-motorway accuracy.

Today on the way home i came home via the motorway and there was an accident and it was near pixel perfect where the traffic went from red to green. At other times it seems to pick up congestion where i swear there aren't any traffic cameras about.

Comments

  • denyo1977denyo1977 Posts: 699
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    I have to say in my experience I didn't think it was very accurate so far.

    Google is pulling traffic data from the traditional sources (everything from cameras to news helicopters), but the really real-time data is coming from Android users who’ve switched on the My Location feature in the Google Maps app.
  • RoushRoush Posts: 4,366
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    Yeah, it's predominately live crowdsourced data, combined with historical data.

    http://support.google.com/maps/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2549020&topic=1687356&ctx=topic
  • whoever,heywhoever,hey Posts: 30,992
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    Cheers, very useful indeed. The page next to your link shows what the motorway colours mean too, which would explain the accuracy of the colours in navigation i was seeing.
    http://support.google.com/maps/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=61455&topic=1687356&ctx=topic
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    It's incredibly accurate, but you have to remember conditions can suddenly change on the roads minute by minute. I usually find it spot on with the navigation on my android though.
  • paulbrockpaulbrock Posts: 16,632
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    I try and beat the estimates sometimes. Unless there's a shortcut I know that didn't get figured into Google's calculations, its pretty hard to beat.
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,538
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    I've found it to be fairly accurate but as somebody mentioned road conditions can change minute to minute sometimes.

    It is odd sometimes I don't get traffic on what are main roads but get it for minor roads sometimes.
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