HOME   >   SOFTWARE   >   Google Maps to Show the Locations of Traffic Lights
Google Maps to Show the Locations of Traffic Lights

Google Maps to Show the Locations of Traffic Lights

BY Jackson 30 Jan,2021 Google Maps GPS Google

Advertisement

For drivers around the world, GPS navigation has become an indispensable tool. Google disclosed that it has begun the test of new function to show the location of traffic lights.

Many drivers rely on GPS to find the fastest or shortest route. However, a problem is, sometimes driving through longer routes encountering fewer traffic lights, which is preferred than driving through the highways which are congested, as it is ultimately faster, especially during peak hours.

In addition, poorly distributed traffic lights (which are deliberately designed to limit traffic and parking in every few blocks) is a major issue.

2.jpg

For example, drivers in the Upper West district of New York all know that congestion along the West District highway is very bad which turns the main road into a parking lot. Experienced drivers will maintain a speed of 20 mph and head north along Amsterdam Avenue as they will not be affected by traffic lights. On the other hand, regardless of the speed of the car, frequent stops near Broadway cannot be avoided.

Therefore, the feature which provides location information of traffic lights on popular GPS applications on mobile phones is very welcome to users.  

Although it has not been officially launched, the location of traffic lights will appear in some users’ Google Maps. Google seems to be testing this feature on a selected few on Android devices.

Advertisement

Google chose to carry out its tests in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago, which will include Stop signs. In fact, a few years ago, the local Google app in Japan had already started providing traffic light locations.

But Google is not the first company to provide the location of traffic lights. With the launch of iOS 13 a year ago, Apple Maps provided location information of traffic lights and Stop signs.

GPS is not only used for driving navigation, but also for many other purposes, such as military operations, disaster relief and emergency search and rescue missions, earthquake detection systems, cartography, photographic geotagging, robotics, mapping infectious diseases and tracking human mating habits...

GPS consists of more than 24 satellites. The GPS device must be connected to at least four satellites to ensure accurate data of location. Mountains, buildings and bad weather will affect its accuracy.

The US Department of Defense began to study GPS (Global Positioning System) in 1973. Black female mathematician, Gladys West, made great contributions. She was inducted into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2018 and is known as the mother of GPS.

Advertisement

Advertisement