HERE is the new name for the formerly known Ovi Maps, and also more recently Nokia Maps. It’s a Nokia business that collects location content such as road networks, building, parks and also traffic patterns which it then sells or licenses as mapping content to the likes of Garmin, BMV, Oracle and also Amazon.
One of the products provided by HERE is their HERE Maps navigation app, which up until recently was exclusive to the Windows Phone platform, however that’s not the case anymore and users of an Android device can get the Beta app that offers the ability to download maps directly to the device, bypassing the need for a constant Internet connection.
Now, with a lot of mapping applications, most have the ability to integrate traffic information directly into your planned route, informing of any disruptions you might face on the way. This is value information for a lot of users who are constantly travelling, but for some, they might need to plan ahead and therefore might be need the ability to predicting what the traffic might be like before making the journey.
Well today, that has now become a possibility thanks to the partnership between Nokia’s HERE maps and Esri, one of the world’s top Geographic Information System (GIS) providers. User now have the ability to plan a journey directly via the HERE website, simply enter the start point and destination, along with the date you intend to travel. One done, simply pick the most suitable route (each with an estimated ETA) and then sync that journey directly with your device running the navigation application. Interestingly according to the stats, using the new Predictive Traffic service, it can improve ETA estimation by up to 20% by accurately predicting the traffic flow over the following 12 hour period.
Obviously there are some things that you can’t predict, such as an accident, but if they was to occur on your journey, the app will warn you and automatically suggest some other suitable routes.
Check out the video below which details the new HERE Predictive Traffic service, and let us know your thoughts. If you’ve not tried HERE Maps I’d suggest you give it ago, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.