City
Epaper

Man caused virtual traffic jam on Google Maps with with 99 phones

By IANS | Updated: February 3, 2020 20:20 IST

Call it bizarre but a German artist Simon Weckert has posted a video on YouTube, showing how he "hacked" Google Maps with 99 smartphones and a wagon to create "virtual traffic jams" on the streets of Berlin.

Open in App

Weckert put 99 smartphones with Google Maps on into a small wagon cart and then wheeled that cart around various streets in Berlin, including outside the Google office, Android Authority reported on Monday.

The smartphones "apparently fooled Google Maps" into thinking that there was a high concentration of users on those streets.

Because the second-hand phones were in a cart, Maps was further tricked into believing that the traffic was slow-moving.

As a result, the navigation app started showing virtual traffic jams by turning green streets to red in the online navigational tool, showcasing how digital technology can have a real impact on the real world.

Basically, Google Maps' servers interpreted the situation as traffic congestion, and began showing this to others on the street.

This, in turn, prompted drivers to turn away and avoid streets where there was actually no traffic.

Google was yet to officially comment on Weckert's experiment.

"I work for Google Maps and I know quite a bit about how this works. I believe this is possible," tweeted a senior software engineer for Google Maps.

With its geo tools, Google has created a platform that allows users and businesses to interact with maps in a novel way, well, unless Weckert aims to play around it.

( With inputs from IANS )

Open in App

Related Stories

Other SportsKalinga Super Cup: Jamshedpur FC march into quarterfinals win over Hyderabad

NationalPresident Droupadi Murmu to Attend Pope Francis' Funeral in Vatican City on April 26

CricketJosh Hazlewood's 4-Wicket Haul Guides Royal Challengers Bengaluru to First Home Win of IPL 2025, Defeat Rajasthan Royals by 11 Runs

AurangabadSuperintendent, headmaster sent on leave after beating students

NationalEmbankment construction by B'desh: Cong urges Tripura govt to resolve issue

टेकमेनिया Realted Stories

TechnologyTech Mahindra headcount drops by 1,757 in Q4

TechnologyCentre extends financial aid to indigenous indoor air purification solution

TechnologyIndia to soon launch safety assessment rating for trucks and heavy vehicles: Nitin Gadkari

TechnologyBroadband subscribers stand at 944.04 million in Feb, tele-density up: TRAI

TechnologyIndia achieves breakthrough in gene therapy for haemophilia: Minister