Good Question: How Do Traffic Apps Work?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Road construction is nearly unavoidable this time of year.

For many of us, trying to find a quick route around it means relying on our cell phones to get us where we need to go.  So how do traffic apps find the best route to take? Good Question.

During a Minnesota summer, it seems like we're always re-routing. And in the past, it was a Rand McNally road map that got us through. Now, the answer is on your phone.

"They are basically pinging everybody's cell phone," said Kyle Opdahl.

Opdahl is with CPR Cell Phone Repair. He said getting "real time driving routes" relies on a series of pings sent to drivers' cell phones.

"As you cross towers there are cell phones pinging and it's showing how quick you are moving through a certain area," said Opdahl.

Google Maps can also use pings to see how fast drivers are moving through alternative routes. It combines that information, along with traffic trends, to offer a number of options.

Google also owns a navigational app called Waze.

"It's based off of a similar platform as Google Maps, except it's interactive with the user," said Opdahl.

On Waze, people can report accidents or other congestion, which can help drivers map a different route. But Opdahl said while drivers rely on pings now, Wi-Fi will help with your re-route in the future.

"The cars are communicating via Wi-Fi. Each car will have a Wi-Fi hot spot to connect to each other and talk and speak to each other," said Opdahl.

Tech experts say each month, Google Maps is taking information from more than eight billion users to figure out average driving times around the world.