Martin Brinkmann at gHacks reports
Google is rolling out a new traffic information [widget] for the mobile version of Google Maps [...] that integrates traffic information in the navigator.
The feature works in two [...] ways. In the first, traffic information [is] immediately displayed to you once you enter your destination in the app.
The application informs you about traffic jams, construction, or any other obstacles that may slow you down on your way to your destination. In addition to giving reasons, it highlights by how much you [will be] slowed down if you take a particular route.
The information [is] updated while you are following the directions Google Maps provides [...]. You may receive congestion alerts that include a delay estimate so that you know what you are getting yourself into.
Google Maps may suggest alternative routes while you are driving, and each alternative includes explanations [...] why it recommends [that you] take that route.
[...] Google makes no mention whether it is limited to certain geographical locations.
[...] The functionality seems similar to what Waze offers, a company that Google acquired in 2013.
In the comments, Naveed notes that he has already been using the feature but doesn't say for how long nor where he is.[...] and Martin, whose first language is German, uses English better than some guys I've encountered who only speak English.
[Editor's Comment: Original Submission]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 26 2015, @09:39PM
The shit about Naveed and Martin is irrelevant. It should have been removed from the summary prior to posting it on the front page.
(Score: 0, Troll) by BasilBrush on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:53PM
gewg_ is an idiot. He posts drivel.
Hurrah! Quoting works now!
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Placenta on Wednesday May 27 2015, @12:35AM
The editors should clean it up into something presentable.
(Score: 0, Offtopic) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Tuesday May 26 2015, @09:40PM
it is commonly thought by Americans that French people don't speak English.
My experience is that they speak English better than I do. I can get them to speak English by speaking French to them. They can't tolerate American-accented French, see.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 26 2015, @09:51PM
What does your comment have to do with the real-time traffic information being added to Google Maps?
(Score: 3, Touché) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:16PM
have to do with the real-time traffic information being added to Google Maps?
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2) by Tork on Wednesday May 27 2015, @12:59AM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 2) by Nerdfest on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:23AM
I thought that was Eliza.
(Score: 2) by Tork on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:26AM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 26 2015, @09:40PM
Congrats to Martin for his English. ???!!!
(Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 26 2015, @09:48PM
[...] [...] [...] Martin [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] Naveed [...] [...] [...] [...] English [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] Naveed [...] [...] Naveed [...] Naveed
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 26 2015, @09:59PM
Google Maps may suggest alternative routes while you are driving, and each alternative includes explanations [...] why it recommends [that you] take that route.
How long until a 'cybter-terror' hack-attack that reroutes traffic off the freeways and through residential neighborhoods. In places like LA sending just 1% of freeway traffic off to side-streets would really screw people up. And not just for the drivers, but for the residents. All it takes is one dumbass driving through unfamiliar streets while fiddling with his phone to hit a kid.
Captain: What happen ?
Mechanic: Somebody set up us the phone.
Operator: We get signal.
Captain: What !
Operator: Main screen turn on.
Captain: It’s you !!
ISIS: How are you gentlemen !!
ISIS: All your cars are belong to us.
ISIS: You are on the way to destruction.
Captain: What you say !!
ISIS: You have no chance to survive make your time.
ISIS: Ha ha ha ha …
Operator: Captain !!
Captain: Take off every GPS!!
Captain: You know what you doing.
Captain: Move GPS.
Captain: For great justice.
(Score: 1) by Placenta on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:06PM
This would not be a problem.
The side streets would quickly fill to capacity.
No more cars would be able to enter the side streets from the freeway.
A steady state is attained and maintained.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:22PM
> The side streets would quickly fill to capacity.
Even more encouragement for the dumbass to take his eyes off the road. Stuck going 5mph on twisty turning roads for god knows how long? Instantly people are going to be drawn to their phones, if for no other reason than to try figure a way out of there.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Grishnakh on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:00PM
I've been using Google Maps for ages, and it's been doing this for me for probably a year now. How is this news? It's been showing red or yellow on your path for a long time indicating congestion, and for a while now it'll suggest an alternate route while you're driving, and ask you to confirm it.
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by Placenta on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:09PM
The summary very clearly explains what's new. Trying reading it.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Grishnakh on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:19PM
I did, asshole.
The feature works in two [...] ways. In the first, traffic information [is] immediately displayed to you once you enter your destination in the app. The application informs you about traffic jams, construction, or any other obstacles that may slow you down on your way to your destination. In addition to giving reasons, it highlights by how much you [will be] slowed down if you take a particular route.
This is already here. When you enter a destination, it gives you several alternatives, sorted by travel time. That travel time is computed based on current traffic conditions for each route.
The information [is] updated while you are following the directions Google Maps provides [...]. You may receive congestion alerts that include a delay estimate so that you know what you are getting yourself into. Google Maps may suggest alternative routes while you are driving,
This is already here. While you're driving, if it finds a faster route (because yours has gotten slow due to congestion), it'll alert you to it and ask if you want to take the new route.
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by Placenta on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:24PM
You clearly did not read the article, either.
It very clearly states:
In the future, please read the articles linked to from the summary.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:42PM
You said the summary explained. It didn't. Asshole.
(Score: 0) by Placenta on Wednesday May 27 2015, @12:43AM
The summary did explain what's new to the majority of users.
The article explained why it isn't new to a small handful of users.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by DaTrueDave on Tuesday May 26 2015, @11:16PM
I've talked to many people all over this country, and in others, and they've had these features for quite a while. The Waze additions may be US-centric, but the traffic reporting certainly is not.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Tuesday May 26 2015, @11:32PM
Fuck you, asshole. As the AC said, you said it was in the summary. It was NOT in the summary, so that makes you a liar, and an asshole.
And why the fuck would I read an article when the summary clearly omits extremely important information, leading me to believe it's a stupid article that's not worth my time?
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Placenta on Wednesday May 27 2015, @12:50AM
You should read both the summary and the article. They're very informative.
(Score: 2) by Tork on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:03AM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:54AM
> You should read both the summary and the article. They're very informative.
Autism for the lose.
(Score: 2) by Nerdfest on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:29AM
There actually used to be a widget (on Android of course) that would allow you to have an indicator for travel time to a specific destination. The Widget showed the destination name, time, and an LED that was green, yellow, or red based on traffic conditions. It was very handy, but it disappeared a couple of years ago. There's something similar but a little more pro-active with Google Now, but you actually need to look at the notifications (unless the delays are going to make you late for a scheduled meeting or something).
(Score: 1) by Thesis on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:11PM
...as my Garmin does, but it eats data up, which is expensive, to me anyway. Until data prices from phone carriers who have decent coverage drops to reasonable levels (laugh, I know), this is not a tool for me to use. My Garmin with Traffic Alerts is quite accurate on getting me where I need to go while avoiding the traffic congestion, in places I have traveled at least.
(Score: 1, Troll) by Placenta on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:13PM
But does your Garmin allow Google to potentially track where you're going and where you've been? Does your Garmin allow Google to tell you where you will be going?
(Score: 2) by captain normal on Wednesday May 27 2015, @04:26PM
Why did this get modded troll? Do we now have some Google astroturfers among us trying to polish the turd that Google has become?
When life isn't going right, go left.
(Score: 3, Informative) by frojack on Tuesday May 26 2015, @10:42PM
Yes, Garmin has this, but (In the US) it is limited to specific areas.
Traffic alerts will pop up telling me there will be a 10 minute delay on the route, and checking the locations, you see that te 10 minutes are caused by something two hours ahead. It will be gone by then. So you slowly learn to discount Garmin alerts as useless. They get their information from official sources (DOT, Police, etc) and it is delayed by the time it gets to your device.
Google maps, even before this addition, was very good at telling you where there were traffic hangups, (red roads), but you seldom knew why. The red/yellow/green condition of traffic was reported directly to google by cell phones sitting in traffic jams.
With the addition of Ways, as well as their existing cellular locations, Google is getting pretty precise. Probably more so than official sources.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by tftp on Wednesday May 27 2015, @12:37AM
I also have a Garmin (Nuvi 2797,) and I'm happy enough with it. I don't have a smartphone; and even if I had one I wouldn't want to tell Google all about my travel. Garmin does not depend on online access. It is a dedicated device that powers itself on and off along with the car. It has a large, bright 7" screen. It's extremely convenient at least because it's always in the car, and I don't need to fiddle with the phone, mount it, start applications, etc. It works well.
This Garmin GPS also has the traffic receiver. I do get alerts now and then about certain traffic problems. They are not always true, and not always on time. I live with that.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Wednesday May 27 2015, @04:13AM
Distinction:
Garmin does not depend on online access.
But no difference:
This Garmin GPS also has the traffic receiver.
You still get traffic updates distributed via Radio sub-carrier from certain large stations. And it is late, and it is often wrong. But you live with it because ... you don't want to show google where you are.
Thanks for sharing.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 1) by tftp on Wednesday May 27 2015, @04:44AM
But you live with it because ... you don't want to show google where you are.
Primarily I don't care about that feature. The fact that Google gets nothing is just a free benefit :-)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 26 2015, @11:48PM
Martin I see is probably Martin Brinkmann who wrote the article referenced, but who the hell is this 'Naveed' bloke mentioned in the last paragraph?
(Score: 0) by Placenta on Wednesday May 27 2015, @12:38AM
He left a comment in the article's comment section. That's his claim to fame.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Techwolf on Wednesday May 27 2015, @12:14AM
As a truck driver, I have been using google maps with traffic overlay for years. How is this new? In fact, i have been useing a version thats over a year old due to removed features in the lastest ones.
(Score: 3, Informative) by frojack on Wednesday May 27 2015, @04:22AM
How is it different?
Your version only shows you slow sections of road, already congested by backed up or slow traffic.
This will show you closed routes, the cause of the slowdown, and recommend alternate routing.
A minor breakdown is a lot different than a multi-car crash. One might clear before you get there.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by Techwolf on Wednesday May 27 2015, @11:28PM
Mine version allready does that. Green lines for fast traffic, yellow for congestion or just plain slow traffic, red for slow or backup, deep red for parking lot, grey for not moving at all or no data due to traffic moving at 0 mph for at least 10 minutes. This show interstate closures.