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Google's AI stoplight program is now calming traffic in a dozen cities worldwide
Google built an AI that monitors the amount of idling at intersections to help city planners cut congestion and reduce air pollution. Now it's working in 70 intersections.
Hitting the Books: 'Vision Zero' could help reclaim roads from American car culture
'Inclusive Transportation' by Veronica O Davis highlights the many failings (both procedural and structural) of America's transportation infrastructure and calls on city planners to reexamine how their public works affect the people.
Google merges Maps and Waze teams but says apps will remain separate
As part of recent cost-cutting measures, Google is planning to merge the 500 employees working on Waze into the group in charge of Maps.
NTSB calls for all new vehicles to include alcohol monitoring tech
The National Transportation Safety Board is calling on its sister agency to implement regulation requiring all vehicles sold in the US to include blood alcohol monitoring systems.
Google disables Maps live traffic in Ukraine following Russian invasion
Google has temporarily disabled some live traffic data in Ukraine over concerns it might put residents at risk during the Russian invasion.
Google Maps is improving travel ETAs with DeepMind AI
Google Maps' traffic predictions are 50 percent more accurate in some cities thanks to DeepMind's AI.
Waze lets drivers display their moods in the app
Waze is rolling out a brand refresh and app update that lets users share their mood.
Intel is reportedly close to buying transit app creator Moovit
Intel is said to be close to buying Moovit, whose transit app know-how could be crucial for self-driving cars.
Alexa can now provide traffic updates and severe weather alerts
Depending on where you live, traffic can be unpredictable, making it yet another thing to check while getting ready for work. Alexa should make planning your commute a bit easier with a new voice control skill. Just ask Alexa about your commute, traffic conditions or directions. You can also have that information sent to your phone. A notification will appear on your device -- tap that and your preferred map app will open with the route guidance. Google Assistant has done this for a while, but Amazon customers will likely enjoy the added convenience.
Artist creates traffic jams in Google Maps with a wagon full of phones
We tend to think of Google Maps as an indispensable tool that is rarely wrong, but an artist from Germany named Simon Weckert found a humourous way to game the app. Using a wagon loaded with 99 second-hand smartphones, he was able to "hack" Maps to create virtual traffic jams throughout Berlin.
Uber and Lyft admit they're making city traffic worse
Uber and Lyft may be competitors but as the two major ridesharing companies, they also have a lot in common -- including the challenges they face. To better understand their role in city traffic patterns, the companies jointly sponsored a study to determine their combined vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in six key cities. In a surprising twist, the results got Uber to admit that ridesharing companies, or transportation network companies (TNCs), do in fact contribute to congestion.
Volvo's new app tells you what to do after a car accident
Being in a car accident is stressful -- even the smallest bump can send your nerves sky high, and in times of extreme tension it's easy to forget the usual protocols. But Volvo is here to make the whole unfortunate experience a little easier to manage. The company has just released a mobile service, Car Accident Advisor, that will guide you through what to do in the event of a crash.
Recommended Reading: Google Duplex still confuses restaurants
One year later, restaurants are still confused by Google Duplex Natt Garun, The Verge Google had us in awe when it debuted the AI-powered Duplex tech at I/O 2018. The system can be used to make reservations on your behalf, and it can even make a call if one is required. A year later though, it seems restaurants are still confused by the technology. From calls that look like spam to using different voices and accents in immediate follow-ups to confirm reservations, Duplex still has its quirks. But there's also an interesting wrinkle: it can be more polite than a human.
Google went down after traffic was routed through China and Russia
Google's services went down for an hour yesterday after its IP addresses were routed way from normal paths to Nigeria, China and Russia. Google told Ars Technica it doubted the leak was malicious, despite the fact that government-owned China Telecom was recently caught routing Western carrier traffic through mainland China. Some of Google's most sensitive data, including its corporate WAN infrastructure and VPN, were reportedly redirected.
Google Maps gets collision and speed trap reports in latest test
When Google bought Waze back in 2013 it was widely assumed it would only be a matter of time before some of the traffic app's more popular features made their way onto Maps. It's taken a while, but now it looks like Google is getting ready to add incident reports -- a move suggested by an APK teardown a few months back and, more recently, the appearance of the feature for some Maps users.
Volkswagen wants to use quantum computers to optimize traffic
If you've ever had your bus show up later than scheduled, here's a welcome development for you. Volkswagen, with the help of D-Wave, has tapped the power of quantum computing to develop a traffic management system that can better process transport information and improve the performance of fleet services like taxis and public buses.
Google's new reCAPTCHA doesn't require a click
Google first launched its bot-detection reCAPTCHA system in 2007, which means that for over 10 years we've been deciphering garbled text, identifying street lights and clicking tiny boxes in a bid to prove we're human and subsequently access the sites and pages we want to view. But not anymore. Google's reCAPTCHA v3 completely eliminates the need for user interaction, instead relying on adaptive risk analysis to pick up suspicious traffic.
Waze's carpooling service is now available all over the US
Waze has gradually been expanding its Carpool app to states around the US, and now it's rolling out everywhere. From today, drivers and ride-seekers in all 50 states can use the app to save time and money getting around, while helping reduce congestion on the roads.
Uber's 'sustainable mobility' plan includes e-bike charging stations
Uber made a handful of announcements today centered on sustainable mobility, including a new fund, partnerships that support data sharing and charging docks for its Jump bikes. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a post today that as more people use Uber's platform as a means for transportation, the company's technology becomes an increasingly important part of the cities in which it's used. "With that comes a responsibility: we recognize we need to step up and support cities that take bold steps to solve their transportation problems," he said. "We are in a unique position to have a meaningful and positive impact on the communities we serve across the globe -- a responsibility we don't take lightly."
Uber tests its own traffic estimates as it moves beyond cars
Uber has used Google traffic data to estimate conditions in the past, but the company is now trying to go its own way. The ridesharing firm told TechCrunch that it's expanding a previously low-key test that relies on its own traffic data. Fire up the passenger app (it's already in use by all drivers) and you'll see a color-coded representation of traffic along your potential route, calculated both through historical trip info and real-time info from drivers' phones. They're only available on unshared rides for now.
