Microsoft Bing Maps can now predict road traffic condition across the globe
Microsoft has announced this week that Bing maps now not only provide live traffic update, but with Clearflow technology, predicts traffic on roads that do not provide live traffic data. By using traffic prediction, Bing Maps can provide more accurate trip time calculations and provide better directions/routes. Clearflow powered prediction will now be available in every country where Bing Maps traffic coverage is live/active.
Research on predictive models for traffic started way back in 2002 at Microsoft Research. The early prototype was able to predict traffic in the future based on large amount of traffic data collected over months/years. The first project, name JamBayes took data from Seattle city traffic flow. Based on the data, Smartphlow prototype was created and was used by thousands of Microsoft employees for fielding of a predictive traffic service as well as navigation techniques for small devices. The methods and tools developed based on JamBayes project were then licensed to Inrix Corporation based in Kirkland (Washington).
Next up was a new modeling, named ‘surprise modeling’ where machine learning is used to forecast future events that will surprise people. This modeling technique received TR10 honor in the year 2008. The next step was to scaling up the model to all the roads, Clearflow technology. Research team collected huge amount of GTS data (from volunteers, buses, paratransit vehicles etc) for over five years and this data is used to learn about dependencies among flow and vaious aspects like road networks, topology were considered. Clearflow technology. A prototype for Clearflow was then made available for Microsoft community (restricted to Seattle at that time). After considerable amount of research, today, Microsoft’s Clearflow tech team has made it big by adding the functionality to Bing Maps across the globe. Head to this page to get more detail on Clearflow technology.
