Predictive Traffic App

Students in Germany have developed a Windows Phone app designed to get you to your destination in the shortest amount of time using predictive software.

Called Greenway, their goal is to not only advise users of traffic jams and hazards, but to prevent backups from occurring using predictive software tools to optimize multiple routes. Based on the length, number of lanes and speed limit, Greenway calculates the maximum capacity for a given street and directs users so that no road ever reaches its limit. By monitoring a user's speed, it can detect when backups occur and reroute drivers accordingly.

The app offers two routes to users - the shortest one and a traffic-optimized one - along with the amount of time and gas that will be required to get there. Although the app itself is free, the developers plan on charging a nominal fee for optimized navigation based on the amount of fuel that can be saved, with a maximum of about 30 cents per route. In simulations of up to 50,000 vehicles, the software cut driving times in half while consuming up to 20 percent less fuel.

Obviously, the more people that use Greenway, the more reliable it will get, which is why the developers are looking at partnering with cab companies to maximize usage. The app is currently being tested in Munich, Germany and recently won an environmental sustainability award at Microsoft's Imagine Cup technology competition.