Google Maps adds traffic predictions

Filed under: Internet, Web services, Google, Microsoft, Search, web 2.0

Google Maps adds traffic predictions

by Brad Linder Apr 17th 2008

Just a few days after Microsoft rolled out a new traffic prediction feature for Windows Live Maps, Google has followed suit with traffic predictions for Google Maps. Both services use historical traffic data to predict likely congestion points and travel time in the future. But there are two major differences:

Windows Live Maps will suggest the best driving directions for avoiding traffic, Google Maps will not
Google Maps lets you choose the day of the week and time of day to see projected traffic patterns, Windows Live Maps will not.

While both services are pretty useful, what we really want is a service that will combine both of these features. Mapquest, we're looking at you.

[via Google Operating System]

Tags: google-maps, predictions, traffic, windows-live-maps

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Quikboy said 11:01PM on 4-17-2008

If looking at just these 2 statements of what they can and cannot do, I'd take Live Maps.

I find more value in getting the best directions, than worrying about a "possible" future accident chart in the future. And both of these have data that could be outdated in a year or even less. So getting the best directions, than worrying about checking something that could be outdated is more important.

Nice to see Google catch-up. :O

Mysterius said 7:36AM on 4-18-2008

I'm not sure what you mean by the data becoming "outdated". They're both based on statistics gathered from years of traffic patterns. They're not predicting the future, explicitly, but using past data to tell you how likely you are to run into traffic.

As for which I'd prefer, I have to disagree with you. If Live Maps is plotting my trip, it doesn't take into account what time I'm traveling, which makes all the difference with traffic. It's easy with Google Map's drag-and-drop to move my path around rough spots of traffic, and I can tell Google Maps to show me the traffic at a particular time of the week.

Quikboy said 7:39AM on 4-18-2008

Well past data might not be accurate if a lot of people that use Live Maps and Google Maps continue to use alternative routes, changing the amount of congestion on streets. Not that it's wrong, but there will be probably some point when many roads have less congestions, while the alternatives have filled up in congestion. Unless the data they use is updated frequently, congestion can change at any time.

Live Maps DOES take into consideration about the time of day.

"allowing the system to predict congestion based on time of day, weather and other variables like sporting events."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/technology/10maps.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

It's just that Live Maps doesn't directly show on the map what the usual Clearflow predictions are. That doesn't really matter to me, as much as getting the best directions. Google Maps DOESN'T reroute your directions based on traffic. Instead, like you said, you have to reroute the directions on your own.

Albert said 7:37AM on 4-18-2008

WOW! Google is God! He knows the future!

Peter said 7:38AM on 4-18-2008

i used to commute back into downtown chicago, but i'd often get tripped up on (Cubbies) game day. talk about standstill traffic for a couple of hours.

so, can google maps predict this?

doesn't sound like it.

Jeebus said 1:27PM on 4-23-2008

Sounds like you can predict it.

Samuel said 11:02AM on 4-18-2008

I think there are respective moles in these two dev teams, and lets be frank there are only two mapping services right! - who the hell is MapQuest..and you can't be looking at them because you chose to upload a Google screenshot.

When it comes down to it I'll always go with Google.

Juan Aguilar said 11:14AM on 4-18-2008

I would like it if Google Maps wasn't afraid to route me on 66 inside the Beltway in Northern Virginia. 66 is HOV only 6 hours of the weekday but Google won't send you on it ever. Live Maps has no such fears. I don't know how complicated it is to add time restriction flags to certain routes, but I hope they can tackle it at some point.

James said 11:00AM on 4-18-2008

While that may be true (I avoid driving into DC unless compelled to do so at gunpoint), you can always drag-and-drop to reroute your GMaps driving directions. If you just drag yourself a midpoint on 66, I think that would solve the problem (if you're convinced 66 is the way to go).

Juan Aguilar said 1:29PM on 4-18-2008

Unfortunately, Google Maps won't do it, even if you manually try to re-route. It always tries to route you onto 50. Apparently this is a known issue (http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Maps-Troubleshooting/msg/058ba9b4a71068b3) and was even reported in the Post.

MichaelG said 6:51AM on 4-22-2008

How about BRAD?
What a fagot, Brad and Google..perfect.
I was glad to read the responses to his bad rapping of Microsoft.
People make the same point that Google is better than yahoo..Have you looked at the stupid-ass blank page?
There is no comparasion.
Google is just like fivebuck (Starbuck) the best thing about that place is the cup. people love to be seen with a fivebucks cup. It is more important than the coffee inside the cup.
Microsoft has the talent...all these new comers are little boys.

Steve G said 2:36PM on 4-19-2008

Hopefully this facility will eventually spread outside the US!

Jeebus said 1:29PM on 4-23-2008

The greater problem with all this is that traffic patterns are only known on freeways and highways, so you make get routed to a side street with just as much traffic.

Julian Bourne said 10:18PM on 5-01-2008

Hi Brad,

In your post you ask for a service that combines the best features of Google traffic for maps, predictive traffic by time of day and day of week and Microsoft ClearFlow that offers a route to avoid congestion. MapQuest is not the answer.

Proxpro (www.proxpro.com) patent pending technology does this and more. Proxpro's new product "Prompt" fuses your calendar with GPS, in effect adding a time dimension to navigation. For a calendar event in the future it calculates the fastest route, with predictive traffic, specific to the time and day of travel; for your next trip, it compares your current location with the location of your next meeting and a "when to leave" alert pops up on your mobile home screen showing the time until your latest departure time, and the real-time and predicted traffic of the drive ahead. On route a user consults Proxpro Prompt to make sure they are still on schedule. We believe it the most accurate personalized traffic solution on the market. It is just as relevant for daily commutes as unfamiliar journeys. The weaknesses of both the above solutions are as follows. They are both: pull-based (you have to input address / time data), web-based (inconvenient, mobile is far superior), and take no consideration of non-re-occuring traffic. Let me know if I can provide any further information.
Best wishes,
Julian Bourne
CEO & Founder
Proxpro Inc.

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