There is no doubt in the fact that Google Maps has made life so much easier for all of us ever since it came into existence. The app has always been trusted for its accurate navigation and traffic tracking, until now. In an attempt to hack Google Maps, a YouTuber created a virtual traffic jam by loading 99 phones in a trolley.
Well, doing it was really simple as when there is a remotely busy area, Google Maps highlights the area by changing the color of the roads from green to orange or even red, depending upon how bad the traffic is. If there is a worst-case scenario in the form of accident or construction happening, Google even helps the users in finding an alternate route.
At the back end, to identify areas with bad traffic, Google makes it all possible with the help of other people who are using the Maps app in that similar area. If there are more people using Google Maps in an area, there is a common assumption that the traffic would most probably be worst and the color of streets begin to change on the map.
A guy named Simon Weckert decided to check the credibility of the process and hence he loaded 99 smartphones, all having Google Maps direction turned ON, into a handcart. He kept walking down the street to see the impact and Google kept marking the street as bad traffic because of the high concentration of users.
While this trick did make other drivers in the area to look out for an alternative route as suggested by the Maps app, Weckert went one step ahead and parked the collection of smartphones right in front of Google’s Berlin offices to create the virtual traffic jam.
In response to the incident, a spokesperson from Google clarified everything stating that it is true how Maps track bad traffic with large number of phones running the app at a single place, which Weckert of course took advantage of, the traffic data, however, refreshes continuously based on information from a variety of sources. Cases like these will surely help the Google engineers make navigation service better over time. So the next time whether one decides to travel via car cart or even camel, they will be able to track traffic better.
Good thing is that Google always stays committed to providing the most comprehensive and accurate Maps and will take care of preventive measures to stop anyone with the right resources exploiting any loopholes in the Maps app again.
Read next: Google App Tests More AMOLED Friendly Dark Mode
Well, doing it was really simple as when there is a remotely busy area, Google Maps highlights the area by changing the color of the roads from green to orange or even red, depending upon how bad the traffic is. If there is a worst-case scenario in the form of accident or construction happening, Google even helps the users in finding an alternate route.
At the back end, to identify areas with bad traffic, Google makes it all possible with the help of other people who are using the Maps app in that similar area. If there are more people using Google Maps in an area, there is a common assumption that the traffic would most probably be worst and the color of streets begin to change on the map.
A guy named Simon Weckert decided to check the credibility of the process and hence he loaded 99 smartphones, all having Google Maps direction turned ON, into a handcart. He kept walking down the street to see the impact and Google kept marking the street as bad traffic because of the high concentration of users.
While this trick did make other drivers in the area to look out for an alternative route as suggested by the Maps app, Weckert went one step ahead and parked the collection of smartphones right in front of Google’s Berlin offices to create the virtual traffic jam.
In response to the incident, a spokesperson from Google clarified everything stating that it is true how Maps track bad traffic with large number of phones running the app at a single place, which Weckert of course took advantage of, the traffic data, however, refreshes continuously based on information from a variety of sources. Cases like these will surely help the Google engineers make navigation service better over time. So the next time whether one decides to travel via car cart or even camel, they will be able to track traffic better.
- Related: Watch breath-taking views of outer space is now possible on your mobile devices via Google Earth
Good thing is that Google always stays committed to providing the most comprehensive and accurate Maps and will take care of preventive measures to stop anyone with the right resources exploiting any loopholes in the Maps app again.
Read next: Google App Tests More AMOLED Friendly Dark Mode
