Google Offering Live Traffic Maps via Cell Phones

Kranfer writes "Reuters is covering the newest offering from Google: real-time traffic mapping on your cell phone. Now you can check how the traffic is ahead of you, of course as long as you don't cause the traffic incident yourself by checking the local issues on your cell phone while driving. Point your cell phone browser to http://google.com/gmm to get your local traffic maps if you live within one of the 30 U.S. cities where this is available."

Great, just great

[smooth wombat]

First we have evidence that cell users are as bad as drunk drivers [slashdot.org] yet now we want these same people to use their 2"X2" cell phone screen to look at a map of their location to see if there is a traffic jam ahead.

Wonderful.

Good Idea?

[wawannem]

I think I may have recently read somewhere that cellphones may be responsible for more accidents than Drunk Driving. So, why would would we add an interactive app to cell phones, when that app may only be useful when you are driving?

Not real-time in nature

[digitaldc]

I'm concerned about my privacy. Are your satellite images real-time?
We understand your privacy concerns and can assure you that the satellite images are taken from a variety of commercial and public resources and are not real-time in nature. The images that Google Maps displays are no different from what can be seen by anyone who flies over or drives by a specific geographic location.

Whew! For a minute there I thought I saw black helicopters in my rear-view mirror soon after I searched Google traffic to go get a loaf of bread.

Re:I agree with that

[TopShelf]

Are you kidding? Just wait for the story to appear on Slashdot regarding the update frequency of this service:

"I was driving along checking traffic on my cell phone, rear-ended someone in front of me, and my accident showed up on Google in just X minutes!"

CRASH!

[stormi]

Wait... is that my car? Hey look! I can see myself crashing!

Sorry.

Re:I don't like this

[kkrause]

I would ban bad talking in cars and be done with it.