How does Google know?
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We were driving home today, and I had Google Maps active on CarPlay. We approached an interection where there is a Portillo's on the corner. Since it was almost lunchtime, there was quite a line of cars there.
I don't understand how Google was able to determine that there's "traffic" at the drive through.
The white arrow is where I was, and I outlined the location of Portillos and pointed out the yellow "heavy traffic." See photo I snapped.
I thought that was kind of interesting, but then, it got MORE interesting. As I continued along the road, I saw a marker that I'd never seen before, and it was on the way home.
Then, as we approached a railroad crossing, the gates came down, and we were stopped by a freight train. The maps app showed a train approaching even before it got to the grade crossing.
How dey do dat?
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https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3118687?hl=en
Manage your Location History
Location History is a Google Account–level setting that saves where you go with every mobile device where:
You're signed in to your Google Account,
You have turned on Location History, and
The device has Location Reporting turned on.
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Basically:
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Google knows traffic speeds (and congestion) based on information sent by people's phones in those cars. Lots of pings from phones in a line next to Portillo? Probably a long/slow line.
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I guess it knows trains too? Pretty easy to set up, now that I think about it. Probably finds cell phones pinging off of locations along the train tracks and infers it's a traveling train.
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Doesn’t Google also share data with Waze?
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@catseye3 said in How does Google know?:
@copper What's that got to do with the drive-through traffic?
The cell phones are reporting their positions
I wouldn't be surprised if the trains did the same
Intelligent trains probably report on their status constantly.
My car sends me emails if there is something to report, low tire pressure for example.
Another example: you can see where just about every civilian airplane in the world is by looking here: https://www.flightradar24.com/
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@lufins-dad said in How does Google know?:
Doesn’t Google also share data with Waze?
Yeah because it owns it
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Another example: you can see where just about every civilian airplane in the world is by looking here: https://www.flightradar24.com/
Hey don’t forget the locations of ships
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-12.0/centery:25.0/zoom:4
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@bachophile said in How does Google know?:
Another example: you can see where just about every civilian airplane in the world is by looking here: https://www.flightradar24.com/
Hey don’t forget the locations of ships
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-12.0/centery:25.0/zoom:4
That's cool.
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@89th said in How does Google know?:
Basically:
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Google knows traffic speeds (and congestion) based on information sent by people's phones in those cars. Lots of pings from phones in a line next to Portillo? Probably a long/slow line.
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I guess it knows trains too? Pretty easy to set up, now that I think about it. Probably finds cell phones pinging off of locations along the train tracks and infers it's a traveling train.
Yep. There was a guy (in germany I think) who got a bunch of smart phones (maybe more than 100), put them in a wagon and walked done a major street with them.
When looking at a on-line map, it showed that there was a major traffic jam on that street. LOL
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@taiwan_girl 555 exactly!
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@taiwan_girl said in How does Google know?:
There was a guy (in germany I think) who got a bunch of smart phones (maybe more than 100), put them in a wagon and walked done a major street with them.
Some people just need to get a damn life. Bizarre.
We have the freedom to choose our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on. -
@improviso said in How does Google know?:
@taiwan_girl said in How does Google know?:
There was a guy (in germany I think) who got a bunch of smart phones (maybe more than 100), put them in a wagon and walked done a major street with them.
Some people just need to get a damn life. Bizarre.
I don't know - if Chris Christie had thought of that, he could have saved himself a whole lot of pain and money.
