subject: How To Get There Fast [print this page] Once upon a time, we had only AM radio for traffic information - outdated, unhelpful, and only for the largest roads anyway. But now the boundaries of traffic management are shifting for the average driver. GPS enabled devices today have access to a huge quantity of data, and highly accurate traffic information is now accessible to the typical commuter at the touch of a button.
And the electronics developed for this are only getting better. According to www.gsm.org and translogic.aolautos.com, 7 million cars sold this year alone will have connective technology solutions which will allow them to receive and send traffic data to an extent never seen before. That number is only going to increase, with projections saying that it will double over the next decade.
INRIX - one of several organizations that provides real time traffic information, has created software apps for many GPS enabled phones and car based connected devices. The data in the past has been limited, with information being provided from state DOT traffic sensors, and a few major shipping companies. Lately INRIX has made a point of joining up with a number of major auto makers in the US to provide them with better, more extensive data, which in turn increase the accuracy of their reporting. That's pretty damn accurate.
INRIX's work is about more than just having a faster commute. We cut back on a significant amount of CO2 emissions when we avoid traffic jams. When we are stuck in high traffic, it's not only bad for our own anxiety levels but also for the environment. Gas, money, and time will be saved by taking advantage of alternative routes that your software provides you. It can let them know if there is construction ahead that they didn't know about, or it can warn them if they are headed into a high traffic area.
Even though INRIX does have competitors, they are on the cutting edge of these developments because they are always looking for new ways to leverage their data - data that has been collected for nearly ten years. Today these apps are available for iPhone and Android, and there are some newer vehicles that have them in the dashboard consoles - like the Clarion Next GATE or Pioneer AppRadio.
With the population density and size growing at such alarming rates across the globe, this kind of technology is only going to prove more and more useful. It should be adapted quickly and welcomed eagerly.
