New Android App Uses Augmented Reality to Help You Avoid Traffic
How many times have you passed an exit on the freeway only to run into an unexpected traffic jam? If you live in southern California, this probably happens a lot. But it needn’t happen again if a new Android app can live up to the hype.
Dubbed ‘Augmented Traffic Views,’ the app makes it possible to see what traffic looks like up ahead. It does this by adding a layer of augmented reality(AR) above the G1′s (or other Android device) camera view with live traffic camera images and traffic data. The AR layer shows the user any available traffic camera points, which the user can then tap to see the most current available image taken by the street cam.
Sounds pretty groovy to us, and it also sounds like an accident waiting to happen. To address the latter, the app also supports a hands-free automated predictive tracking mode that displays images from traffic cams up ahead as you drive.
So far, the app only works in Toronto, but there are plenty of U.S. areas where this could be a boon to drivers, should the developers decide to expand. In the meantime, catch a YouTube video of what you can’t have right here.
