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Old 20th May 2019, 12:43   #16
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Re: How Google Maps worked with Motorcyclists in India

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Originally Posted by Thilak29 View Post
Interesting and thanks for sharing. I use a smart watch from Samsung which has a third party app (also runs as service in Android phone), both are linked via Bluetooth, every time I open map app, watch reflects directions in crisp manner within restrictive real estate of watch screen. Can't something similar be tried on a 2W dash screen ?
Definitely. Like most IT projects, the problem is less about technology and more about business constraints.

At the time we were analysing this, google maps did not have motorcycle directions and we had to get a commercial license if we needed this to be for the public. The "free" alternative is open maps which while good, is nowhere near the experience that google maps offers.

The ask from the client was that we mimic everything from google maps in open maps and show it on the cluster and do it for a pittance and do it in three months. Obviously the end was predictable.
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Old 20th May 2019, 12:59   #17
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Re: How Google Maps worked with Motorcyclists in India

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So the only difference that comes about from the discussion is that BIKE mode take narrow or unpaved roads also into consideration while optimizing the route.
Exactly. Quite problematic in cities/towns having some localities with narrow, congested lanes.
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Old 20th May 2019, 17:17   #18
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Re: How Google Maps worked with Motorcyclists in India

I remember receiving a prompt from Google back in 2016 asking if I ride a motorcycle. Of course, they were surprised to see me make progress at 30-40km/h when the traffic was moving at 10-15km/h.

So, my data must have been used for gathering moto-specific routes info.

I still hate that Google automatically recalculates and selects a shorter route for me. I've been asked to take a left while I'm riding on an elevated stretch of KMP expressway. I'd love it if Google asked me for confirmation before readjusting my route. Sometimes, I don't care about a shorter route. I just need a simpler route with fewer turns and street lights.

Last edited by MaheshY1 : 20th May 2019 at 17:19.
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Old 21st May 2019, 13:43   #19
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Re: How Google Maps worked with Motorcyclists in India

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Originally Posted by MaheshY1 View Post
...
I still hate that Google automatically recalculates and selects a shorter route for me. I've been asked to take a left while I'm riding on an elevated stretch of KMP expressway. I'd love it if Google asked me for confirmation before readjusting my route. Sometimes, I don't care about a shorter route. I just need a simpler route with fewer turns and street lights.
I believe they had an option to disallow rerouting earlier, which allowed you to stop recalculating of the route. They seem to have taken that out now...
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Old 21st May 2019, 14:37   #20
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Re: How Google Maps worked with Motorcyclists in India

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But we ended up cancelling the project because the client had unrealistic expectations since they basically wanted us to replicate google maps for a pittance and in 3 months because they didn't want to pay licensing fees to google.

Let me guess, the unrealistic expectations were set by "Royal" company?
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Old 21st May 2019, 16:14   #21
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Re: How Google Maps worked with Motorcyclists in India

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Let me guess, the unrealistic expectations were set by "Royal" company?
I think it was a bunch of Heroes who just launched a motorcycle with this novel feature.
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Old 24th April 2022, 11:00   #22
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Re: How Google Maps worked with Motorcyclists in India

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread (Holy Lazarus, Batman!); but I believe that this "bike" feature has created a massive problem.

The issue is that the default mode in Google Maps is "car" and not "bike". And India has more bikes than cars.

Bikers cannot be bothered to switch to bike-mode every time they use Maps; and I do not know if Google has a setting to default to bike- or car-mode.

Therefore, bikers use car-mode and go through all the narrow by-lanes etc.; and then car-people use Maps, it takes them through those very same narrow streets (because of the massive crowd-sourcing from bikers who drive in car-mode).

I wish that (at least for India) Google defaults to bike-mode and lets car-people to manually choose car-mode to have Maps suggest wider and faster roads.

If Google will not let me configure a default mode in settings, I would not mind having to pick car-mode every time I drive.

This way, if car-people have to manually pick car-mode, then the crowd-sourcing would work for cars. If the people do not bother to pick car-mode and choose to remain in the default bike-mode, still car-people who pick car-mode will mot be negatively affected.

Cheers
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Old 24th April 2022, 11:07   #23
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Re: How Google Maps worked with Motorcyclists in India

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I wish that (at least for India) Google defaults to bike-mode and lets car-people to manually choose car-mode to have Maps suggest wider and faster roads.
Thanks for sharing this excellent thought.

Do consider giving this feedback directly to Google maps. Steps are available here.
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Old 24th April 2022, 11:28   #24
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Re: How Google Maps worked with Motorcyclists in India

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Originally Posted by tilt View Post
.

The issue is that the default mode in Google Maps is "car" and not "bike".

Therefore, bikers use car-mode and go through all the narrow by-lanes etc.; and then car-people use Maps, it takes them through those very same narrow streets (because of the massive crowd-sourcing from bikers who drive in car-mode).
I think Google is able to detect if you are riding a two wheeler or driving a car. I have not noticed it recently, but earlier it used to tell me when I had ridden a 2-wheeler.

But, yes Google does tend to route you through very narrow lanes, so may be their detection algorithm is not working properly.

Also, wish they'd stop automatically rerouting.

Also, Google routes you on the wrong side of the highway sometimes (Hosur Rd, near metro construction), probably relying on cabs! I guess they don't understand the kind of animals we are here!
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