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inrix

Inrix sees the future of traffic prediction

Former Microsoft spin-off Inrix on Tuesday will launch a new, nationwide traffic-prediction platform.

A new routing service combined with traffic data available for more than 800,000 miles of U.S. roads and location-based information is all part of the Connected Services platform Inrix hopes Web and mobile application developers, gadget makers, and car companies will be driven to adopt.

Inrix CEO Bryan Mistele says he thinks the new platform will lower the barrier to entry for developers and device makers.

"By wrapping it all together, this can do for telematics and navigation what YouTube did for video," … Read more

Beyond Microsoft's new traffic-avoidance feature

Today Microsoft announced a new feature on its Live Search Maps service: Clearflow, an option that will alter driving directions based on traffic, not just on the usually metered major freeways, but on adjoining connector ramps and streets as well. See news story.

I find the Clearflow product of only marginal usefulness on a PC, since traffic patterns change quickly. I'd trust it to get me on to a freeway in the most efficient way, but if my route takes more than 20 minutes, I'd worry about its accuracy at the other end. If this technology can be … Read more