Using Cellular Traffic to Monitor Traffic Jams

An Anonymous Coward writes "The BBC has this story about Scots company Applied Generics and their plan to use cellphone location data to determine where there are traffic jams and (presumably) generate (and sell?) evasive routing tactics for drivers. They are using both passive cellular traffic (what you get when the phone is switched on) and active (drivers phoning up to say they'll be late - in standing traffic, I hope) to look for clusters of immobile cellphones along major routes. The whole idea has a sort of "why didn't I think of that?" neatness. Personally I wouldn't mind my own traffic being used wholesale (aggregated with thousands of other users), but how do other /.ers feel about a company profiting from data emitted by the cellphone that they paid for?"

Re:Have roads, will fill them

[warpSpeed]

As far as I can see, and this is confirmed by my own experience of two decades of commuting, people drive because they do not seriously try to find alternatives. Make an effort, look for places to live in the inner cities, find ways to work from home...

Speaking as one of those "people", we do not commute using public transport because there generally is no "serious" alternative avaiable. In Washington DC, the metro is just dandy, if you count beeing packed into a sardine can and standing for 30 min to an hour a nice way to commute. Not to mention the lack of parking after 7 am at all the major sububian stations. and the close to $12 round trip cost for parking and fare

It is FAR cheaper, and takes less time (20 min) for me to drive into DC, and get two parking tickets a week then it is to take the Metro.

When a real commuting alternatives are available I would use it, until then stop blaming the commuter, they are in their cars for economic and time saving reasons. Why should the sacrifice thier time and money?

Raise the price of gas and lower the cost of public transport, and make it more efficient/convinient, then we can talk.

Re:British use

[JaredOfEuropa]

In the Netherlands, practically all roads have wire loops in them every few 100 meters, and a central traffic system measures traffic speed and density. A much, much more accurate system, and one that doesn't give away drivers' identities either.

The system already diverts traffic by advising drivers about jams, on matrix signs over the roads. The real challenge of such is to provide motorists with this accurate and up-to-date information, for example by updating their car navigation computers, or sending messages to cellphones.

I call bullshit

[Anonymous Coward]

I've lived in DC. Let's look at your assertions:
Metro is packed in like a sardine can - Only happens at rush hour.
Your commute is a 20 minute drive - In DC at rush hour, this equates to a 10 minute WALK.

I don't think you've looked very hard for alternative transport.