News   Mar 18, 2024
 826     0 
News   Mar 18, 2024
 2.8K     4 
News   Mar 18, 2024
 788     0 

Google Maps

Prometheus The Supremo

►Member №41+⅜◄
Member Bio
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
4,107
Reaction score
5
Location
a strange reality, bizarro toronto
we got the same thing on MTO's website. if only they add the data to google.
 
they should also collect cell phone data and gps data to show real time traffic flow on all streets. then, they should create a gps navigation system that uses this data to plan a traffic free route for a commute that is constantly updated for traffic conditions.

this will create optimal usage for our road system.
 
There does seem to be something like this in place for Toronto. It's accessible through Toronto.com, and there's a "NEW" flag beside it, but I don't know how recently it was added.

http://toronto.com/traffic

They seem to have integrated Google maps with various areas of Toronto. On the map you can see icons for accidents, construction, and miscellaneous other "incidents," along with an estimation of how much each is impacting traffic (ie, "5 minute delay"). How up-to-the-minute this info is, I can't say.

Also, they have a feature whereby all the MTO cameras are marked on the same map with little icons, and clicking one switches the camera view.

Pretty cool. If I was still commuting I might bookmark it and give it a glance before leaving work every day.
 
Google Maps in New York now has a street view feature that allows you to look at views of the street from ground level.
that also goes for miami, denver, las vegas and san francisco. its truely a remarkable feature.
 
Google Maps has added traffic for the Toronto area. It includes most arterials in addition to the expressways.

that's pretty extensive. a while back, they only had a few roads like bloor st.



So where is the data coming from, outside of the expressways?

probably cellphone data and GPS units.
 
Really? Is that being done elsewhere?

yes: http://www.cellint.com/traffic_data/traffic_system.html

though that doesn't mean that the data which displays traffic conditions in toronto comes from anonymous cellphone data. i'm not sure if they're allowed to do such a thing over here for reasons i'm guessing may have to do with privacy. they could be doing it just that i don't know.


this article explains the various sources they use to collect their real time data:

http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2009/05/27/how-do-google-traffic-maps-work/

i'm guessing that the data from toronto roads comes from fleet GPS units and personal GPS units. maybe even the sensors at various traffic intersections might be involved in the equation. it would be interesting to find out how it's done in toronto (aside from the highways, i already know how that works).
 

Back
Top