Google Maps Now Includes Real-Time Traffic Data

Now if you’re trying to figure out how to get to your job interview or dinner with friends you can also account for what route might be the fastest. Google Maps has added the ability to see the estimated time of your journey using real-time traffic data.

The new-and-improved feature offers estimated travel times within Google Maps based on current traffic conditions. So, if you’re heading across town to meet a new yoga instructor you’ll be able to see how long several routes might take with no traffic, as well as how long the expedition might be based on the traffic conditions right now.

Depending on where you live, the shortest distance may take the longest time to travel depending on the time of day your journey begins. Traffic data is constantly refreshed where available, offering the latest possible information.

Google previously offered traffic data, however, this is the first time data has been available as part of directions.

“The previous traffic feature that was removed from Google Maps last summer provided users with the worst-case traffic scenario based on historic traffic data — e.g. ‘up to 50 minutes in traffic.’” a Google spokesperson told Mashable. “That feature was removed because we wanted to improve the freshness of the data. The feature that we’re introducing on Google Maps today works differently and serves a different purpose. The new time-in-traffic feature provides users with the ability to check current traffic conditions and estimates the length of travel time based on constantly refreshed data.”

Data is gathered through third-party services and through information from Android users who have opted in to the My Location feature on Google Maps. Google would be able to tell, for instance, if there were several Android owners moving slowly on the freeway and determine that there was traffic slowing them down. The more people opting into the service in the area, the better the traffic information available will be.

If you want to help provide data for the service and help your fellow driver in the process, you can do so byturning on the My Location feature for Google Maps on your Android phone.

Let us know in the comments what you think about traffic data being incorporated into Google Maps in the comments.