HACKER Q&A
📣 jorisboris

Is Google Maps avoiding secondary roads?


Recently when I use Google Maps it mostly provides routes using the main roads and it ignores the routes through secondary roads.

I know my local area, and when I ignore Google and turn onto the shortcut through a secondary road, the arrival time immediately drops with 5 to 10 mins.

We moved to this (more rural) area 8 months ago, so I don't know whether routing was always poor here, or whether Google changed the algorithm?

Thanks

  👤 pwg Accepted Answer ✓
All of the 'routers' are using heuristics to select what they see as "best route". And one of the heuristics is likely "prefer main roads". If you run /any/ of them while driving an area you know well, you'll see many instances where the route the algorithm picks is not the route you would have chosen yourself (i.e., they don't know about the 'shortcuts').

Their benefit is when you are in an area where you do not know now to get "there" from "here", the algorithms will usually get you to your destination. Maybe not by the "best" method a local would have chosen, but they do get you there.

👤 brudgers
When giving directions, simplicity is a feature not a bug and the locals don't need to ask for directions.

Anyway, for me paper maps give me the most control over my route and then I might use Google to navigate to "efficient" waypoints along it. But of course, that's a case of already knowing where I am going and having an idea about how to get there.