Roads API As one of over 100 million Google Maps customers worldwide to have successfully deployed Google’s Maps API product, we wanted to take a moment to share some information around our new Roads API which was publicly launched recently.
WHAT IS THE ROADS API? The Roads API allows you to map GPS coordinates to the geometry of the road, and to determine the speed limit along those road segments. The API is available via a simple HTTPS interface, and exposes two services: Snap to roads This service returns the best-fit road geometry for a given set of GPS coordinates. This service takes up to 100 GPS points collected along a route, and returns a similar set of data with the points snapped to the most likely roads the vehicle was traveling along. Optionally, you can request that the points be interpolated, resulting in a path that smoothly follows the geometry of the road. Speed limits This service returns the posted speed limit for a road segment.
KEY BENEFITS Visualisation GPS locations can be irregular and can look messy when plotted on a map. Roads API can take GPS data and snap it to the Google road network for improved data visualisation. It can also interpolate the GPS data to show the data following the road network geometries. Who might use it? Companies doing asset tracking who need to create reports to show asset movement on a map.
Accurate Distance Reporting Mapping GPS points to the road network provides a more accurate measurement of distance travelled. Even when an asset is stationary GPS points can move around which would give false distance measurements. Who might use it? Companies that are tracking assets and need accurate reporting of distance travelled. Cost savings could include more accurate expenses reimbursements. Also if you want consistent distance reporting for the same route (e.g. a cycling app to compare daily personal bests) Roads API can help.
Safety Comparing the speed an asset is/was travelling (calculated from location and timestamps) against the posted speed limit can give a view of how safely a vehicle is being operated. E.g determine the percentage of a route the vehicle was speeding. Who might use it? Asset tracking and insurance companies who want to report on driver safety behaviour.
Road Name Reporting A lot of asset tracking companies require lots of reverse geocoding in order to report on vehicle locations. The Roads API can now provide a unique identifier (Place ID) for each road segment. This identifier can be used to look up the road name which might be more appropriate and consistent for asset tracking reporting. E.g. vehicle xxx spent yyy time travelling on
. This type of reporting would not be possible without Roads API. Who might use it? Asset tracking companies, transportation agencies.
Location Reporting Companies can capture location of an accident and automatically determine speed limit of the road and road name (in conjunction with other APIs). Who might use it? Insurance companies including motorists submitting claim information.
WANT TO FIND OUT MORE? Our Customer Success team will work with you to determine how the solution will work best for your organization. For more information about this offering or to learn more about how customizing Google Maps can impact your business, please contact us at: North and South America: [email protected] Europe, Middle East and Africa: [email protected] Asia Pacific: [email protected]
