Time to change the automatic traffic reporting algorithm?

[gettingthere]

Have we now hit a critical mass in the number of active Waze clients (at least in the United States)? If so, maybe it is time to reconsider the way that automatic traffic reporting works?

As I understand it, it just takes one Waze client to create or clear an automatically generated traffic event. Since these automatically generated traffic events are critical for routing around traffic and there now seem to be a 'lot' of Waze users, maybe the algorithm that is being used to report and clear traffic events should be adjusted so that at least two reports within x minutes are needed to generate or clear an automatically reported traffic event?

Pros:

* Less false traffic reports, especially on road type street and lower. Clears some of the on-screen clutter, Event List, and makes routing more accurate.
* Reduces or eliminates the need to modify the application to add a 'pause automatic traffic reporting' function to the application to reduce false traffic events when at a drive thru, gas station, coffee stop, etc.
* Reduces or eliminates the need to turn off Waze so that a false traffic event is not generated.
* Reduces the chance that someone driving in a HOV lanes (where the Waze application thinks the user is in the regular traffic lanes) generates or clears a traffic event in the regular lanes.
* Reduces the change that a motorcyle, bicycle, or pedestrian generate or clear a traffic event. Eg. motocycles can weave through cars in traffic which gives false data on the traffic jam.

Cons:

* In places where there are traffic jams, it may take longer for the traffic event to be generated or cleared since 2 Wazers will need to transverse the area for the automatically generated traffic event to update.
* In areas with a low number of Wazers, traffic events may not be reported. May not matter though since if there is only one Wazer driving in that area, there are no other Wazers driving the same area to benefit from the automated traffic report.

Thoughts?

[RallyChris]

Well are we talking about the visual displays, or also the real time data for each segment. As far as I understand, real time average speeds are used in the route calculations, even if they are not low enough to generate a visible traffic report.

I think your pros and cons are right on, otherwise.

The only other con I can think of, is that Waze still suffers from the no green line issue (IE: google, bing, DOT sites, that can show when traffic is free flowing with a green line). I have a hard time convincing people that no red line, doesn't mean free flowing... it just means that traffic is "normal" at that time. So, slowing the updates for what we do get, just adds to the, "why didn't it tell me?" issue.

[gettingthere]

I am referring to the automatic traffic reports that are generated by the Waze application and used for routing. Shows up on the map as traffic with the speed of the traffic (not the manual user initiated reports by pressing the report button or answering the 'are you in traffic' prompt which generates a manual report).

Also not referring to the historical speed data that is associated with the road segment. That averages out over time. The more passes on each segment, the more accurate the average segment speed.

[jasonm128]

Have we now hit a critical mass in the number of active Waze clients (at least in the United States)?

In my opinion, I would have so answer "No" to this question. Maybe there are enough users on the road during rush hour but I mostly commute at off-peak times and still hit traffic that Waze doesn't know about fairly frequently. The freeways are pretty good (but not great) and the smaller roads are frequently missing traffic jams. And I'm in one of the most advanced cities according to the status listing on the Waze homepage. As a matter of fact, at least a couple times a week I find myself thinking, "I can't wait until Waze gets about 10 times as many users so I can get decent traffic information."

[harling]

Have we now hit a critical mass in the number of active Waze clients (at least in the United States)?

Maybe there are enough users on the road during rush hour but I mostly commute at off-peak times and still hit traffic that Waze doesn't know about fairly frequently... at least a couple times a week I find myself thinking, "I can't wait until Waze gets about 10 times as many users so I can get decent traffic information."

It's a thankless job. I think the first Wazer who gets stuck in a previously-undetected jam should get some serious points in return for being the "Guinea Pig" for the rest of us.

[jasonm128]

It's a thankless job. I think the first Wazer who gets stuck in a previously-undetected jam should get some serious points in return for being the "Guinea Pig" for the rest of us.

Now I'm picturing people driving around trying to get caught in traffic jams for the points!

[harling]

Now I'm picturing people driving around trying to get caught in traffic jams for the points!

If it gives some people enough incentive to "take one for the team" and improve the driving experience for everyone else, why not!