Taxi drivers as sensors
Researchers from Microsoft have tested a new method for generating faster driving path suggestions by tapping into the expertise of local cab drivers and monitoring their GPS trajectories. While current drive-time predictions rely on the length of road and the posted speed limit, cabbies reliably select the fastest path to a destination, even if the route might look longer because it takes unexpected side streets. By analyzing GPS data from 33,000 Beijing taxis over the course of 3 months, researchers were able to determine optimal routes, ultimately reducing drive times by 16%.
Via PSFK
