Google Maps

Google Maps is Google’s web mapping platform and consumer application offering satellite imagery, street maps, real-time traffic conditions, and route planning.

Traffic Data Collection

Google Maps collects real-time traffic information from consumer mobile phones. When users have Google Maps running (or location services enabled), their phones anonymously report:

• Current location
• Speed of travel
• Direction of movement

This crowdsourced data allows Google Maps to:

• Display real-time traffic conditions
• Predict travel times accurately
• Suggest alternate routes to avoid congestion
• Identify accidents and road closures

Pedestrian Path Data

There are reports that the game [[Ingress]] was used to collect data from players to improve Google Maps’ pedestrian paths, though reliable sources for this claim are limited. The game required players to physically visit locations, potentially providing valuable data about walkable paths and accessible areas.

Related Concepts

• [[Ingress]]
• Data collection and privacy
• Crowdsourced mapping

Resources

• Video demonstration of traffic data collection