Google Maps has become an essential part of the internet over the past decade, yet very few people understand how it works. For many, it seems almost like magic.
For instance, how can Google create such an accurate map for every region? How does it gather so much data? Who works to keep Google Maps maintained and updated? Additionally, there are questions about real-time traffic conditions, temporary speed limits, and the operating hours of nearby businesses.
Somehow, these complex functions work so well, which is why so many of us rely on it for our daily commutes. So it’s time you learned how this tool operates. The article below will unveil this wonder.
Why Did Google Create Maps?
Google’s public mission is “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Many, but not all, of Google’s projects today focus on this mission, which relies on collecting, organizing, and understanding millions of gigabytes of data.
Google Maps collects a vast amount of offline information and then publishes it online.
However, the information that Google is trying to organize is not just online. Much of it is offline. In a conversation with The Atlantic, Manik Gupta, Google’s product management director for Google Maps, explained: “As our lives improve, we are trying to close the gap between what we see in real life and [what we see online], and Maps really plays that role.”
At its most basic level, Google Maps gathers a huge amount of offline information and then publishes it online. We are talking about things like highway networks, traffic signs, street names, and business names. In the future, Google Maps may do even more.
Data Collection for Google Maps
When it comes to collecting data to help maintain and improve Google Maps, it seems there is never enough – and it is even more impressive that no information is older than three years. This is truly a massive project.
Map Partner
To support this effort, Google collaborates with “the most comprehensive and accurate data sources” through the Base Map Partner Program. A large number of agencies submit detailed vector data to Google, including names like the US Forest Service, the US National Park Service, and the US Geological Survey, among many others.
This data is used to identify changes in boundaries and rivers, display new roads, and much more, keeping the “base map” as updated as possible.
Street View
Google Street View is an ongoing journey. With a vast number of vehicles moving worldwide, their goal is to continuously travel all the roads they find and capture 360-degree photos wherever they go.
Google displays their Street View images on the base map.
Based on GPS technology integrated into those vehicles, Google overlays their Street View images on the base map.
Street View does more than just stitch together a panoramic view of roads and locations. Using ever-improving optical character recognition (OCR) technology, Google can “read” things like street signs, traffic signs, and business names.
The data read by OCR is processed and turned into navigational data that Google Maps can incorporate into its database. If the name of a street has changed since the last time it was photographed, a newer Street View image will detect it. This is also (in part) how Google builds a massive database of local businesses.
Satellites
Another layer of Google Maps comes from satellite imagery. This is a close integration with Google Earth, combining high-resolution satellite images.
These images are cross-referenced with other layers of data, such as those from Street View and Map Partners. This helps Maps gather information about geographical changes, new constructions, renovations, and more.
Location Services
There isn’t much information available about exactly how Google uses mobile location services to keep Maps updated in real-time, but it is clear that it plays a vital role.
Indeed, if Google has access to location data collected by your smartphone, you are part of the system that improves and expands Google Maps.
Maps can assume there is a discrepancy and will adjust the route accordingly.
Your location data can be used to update real-time traffic conditions, estimate current traffic speeds, and identify discrepancies. If a route is typically congested but is currently very clear, Maps can assume there is a discrepancy and adjust the route accordingly.
Google also uses this data to estimate how busy different industries are at various times. It does this by tracking foot traffic in individual buildings. It may seem a bit creepy, but it is another effort to bring offline information online.
Google Maps Users
Google Map Maker is another tool from Google for crowd-sourcing data for Maps, and this program has been around since 2008.
It operates similarly to OpenStreetMap. Google Map Maker allows anyone to contribute their local knowledge to Google Maps. The good news is that most of this functionality has now been integrated into Maps, and Map Maker will be shut down this year once the transition is complete.
Users can edit Google’s map with their contributions.
In short, users can edit Google’s map with their contributions. You can add and edit locations, new roads, and much more. And if you think you can get away with malicious edits, think again: user edits can be reviewed by other users.
This means there is a vast army of editors keeping Google Maps updated 24/7. This is especially useful for adding hard-to-reach places to the map and gathering insights that might otherwise be beyond Google’s reach or notice.
Local Guides
Similar to the editing force, Google also has millions of Local Guides. Local Guides is a feature reminiscent of Foursquare and is Google’s effort to gather a layer of more subjective data to place on top of its base map.
When you’re in Google Maps, go to the My Contributions section, and you can explore different locations in your area. By leaving a review, answering a few questions, and posting a photo, you can contribute to this additional data layer.
This local knowledge helps Maps understand things like the vibe of a café, whether a hotel has parking, or if a restaurant offers vegetarian options. In exchange for these contributions, users can receive rewards like increased Google Drive storage.
Making Data Meaningful
As you can see, the amount of data collected by Google is enormous, and we haven’t even touched on the integration of other services.
These layers of data, once processed, provide us access to all the information found on Google Maps. But what will make all this data meaningful?
It is similar to the types of algorithms that have made Google the powerhouse it is today. These algorithms, which seem extremely complex and proprietary, work to clean the data, identify discrepancies, and integrate everything together to make it more useful.
Google has teams around the world to keep everything updated in the countries where it operates.
For instance, when Street View scans images of street signs and business names, algorithms attempt to create road networks by interpreting these signs. Simultaneously, location data is incorporated to determine the shortest route from point A to point B.
Although these algorithms are continuously improving, there are limits to what they can achieve. Therefore, all this data is also processed by many human team members. If there is something that Google’s algorithms cannot decipher, a team member will review and resolve it.
Typically, intersection logics are manually inputted, and new roads are accurately placed by human operators. This is because sometimes the best way to understand what is seen on the roads is to assign this task to a human.
Undoubtedly, this is a truly monumental task. That’s why Google has teams around the world to keep everything updated in the countries where it operates.
When There Is an Error on Google Maps
Every day, a significant amount of changes is applied to Google Maps. Some of these may involve the addition of new locations and roads, while other changes may cause errors.
Many of these errors are randomly fixed by community members: editing descriptions of locations, adding routes, and more. But above all, Google has a large team of people working with thousands of reports submitted to Google each day.
Every day, a significant amount of changes is applied to Google Maps.
The good thing about these reports is that they are reviewed and implemented manually. This process is carried out with Atlas, Google’s map editing program. New roads are drawn by hand, roads are connected, new buildings are added to the map, and so forth.
This is a colossal project that never ends. With thousands of new roads being built every day and cities changing traffic laws as needed, Google Maps will always be in a battle to keep everything accurate.
Google Maps: A Great Responsibility
While Google is often regarded as “just another map”, we have somewhat underestimated its vast layers of data. All of these elements combine to create a service that many of us have come to rely on – a leading service that far outpaces its competitors.
From navigating millions of miles, employing extremely complex algorithms, to requiring an enormous amount of human input, Google Maps is something to be admired.
Google Maps is planned to play an important role in the company’s self-driving car production.
Of course, Google is not stopping here. Google Maps is planned to play an important role in the production of the company’s self-driving cars. And as more subjective information, images, and videos are linked with Maps, this application could become a guide to the world, not just a map of the world as it is today.
