A new third-generation navigation service that is said to accurately predict traffic
conditions along a programmed route is being developed by Inrix Inc. Named “Inrix Connected
Services,” the system is claimed to be 93 percent accurate in predicting traffic conditions
one to two days in advance.
Inrix’s service computes the quickest route, not necessarily
shortest, by predicting traffic conditions using the time of day, real-time road updates,
weather and historical data. The system then predicts traffic and offers the quickest
route. Based on historical data, school schedules, holidays, special events and other
variables, it predicts traffic in a particular place. It currently covers 800,000 miles of
America’s one million miles of paved roads, with some information coming from road sensors
that collect real-time data.
Additional information comes from real-time GPS data from more
than 800,000 commercial fleet vehicles and from Satellite Radio stations. Inrix’s service
has been field-tested and is said to be ready for introduction.
