Osmand and traffic provider

[Rafał Wołoszyn]

Hi all,

Is there any implementation for Osmand to use some traffic provider ? Google, Waze etc ? I've seen post about OpenTraffic but they do

not respond also to my mails, so project is probably dead.

Best regards,

Rafal

[Harry van der Wolf]

Google and Waze are both closed source, commercial and illegal to use inside OsmAnd.

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[Hermannvid]

But OsmAnd wouldn't use any Code from Google, right? They would just receive the raw data stream from Google and pass it on to the OsmAnd app. So it wouldn't matter if Google Maps is open source or not because OsmAnd wouldn't use Google maps itself.

Also OsmAnd could work with other data provider like Navteq. In my navigation app (Copilot Premium) I can buy a plugin for 10€ / year for Traffic data.
I can't see why such a plugin can't be open source.
Even if it's not open source, can't OsmAnd leave the decition up to the user whether he or she wants to take the risc and install the plugin?
OsmAnd could also sell such a plug-in for 10€ (or whatever amount) , isn't it?

[Harry van der Wolf]

2016-07-27 21:15 GMT+02:00 Hermannvid <nat...@gmx.de>:

But OsmAnd wouldn't use any Code from Google, right? They would just receive the raw data stream from Google and pass it on to the OsmAnd app. So it wouldn't matter if Google Maps is open source or not because OsmAnd wouldn't use Google maps itself.

It is a Google maps feature to be used only in Desktop Google maps or on the Maps application on a mobile device (see their license)

What you want to do is just stealing the data stream.

What you want to do is the same as hacking into the TomTom HD-traffic service.  I guess, because that's not for free, you would not suggest that. But no matter whether it costs 0, 10 or 1000 bitcoins (or whatever) doesn't change the legal aspects.

The fact that you can use Google traffic "for free" in Googles applications doesn't mean it is free to use for all. Google bought ZipDash to have their real time traffic analysis expertise.

 

Also OsmAnd could work with other data provider like Navteq. In my navigation app (Copilot Premium) I can buy a plugin for 10€ / year for Traffic data.
I can't see why such a plugin can't be open source.

Of course I'm not sure about this but I think that Navteq absolutely doesn't want the algorithm to become open source and will not start a partnership with such an open source partner.

 

Even if it's not open source, can't OsmAnd leave the decition up to the user whether he or she wants to take the risc and install the plugin?

It's not that simple: "up to the user whether he or she wants to take the risc". 

The OsmAnd devs would be legally responsible, and secondly: the OsmAnd devs should reverse engineer the functionality. And if any part of the reversed engineering code is the same as the original code, even completely unintended, it would be plagiarism.

However, the option of offering a closed source plugin could be an option, but OsmAnd, as legal entitiy, first need to reach some kind of agreement with Navteq which allows OsmAnd to use the plugin.

I don't know whether the OsmAnd team would like to do that. The whole project is based on open source. 

 

OsmAnd could also sell such a plug-in for 10€ (or whatever amount) , isn't it?

Yes, that could be an option but it would require above mentioned actions and commitment of the Devs.

You could try to file a feature request: https://github.com/osmandapp/Osmand/issues

Or if it is really important to you:  Switch to Mapfactor Navigator which will offer TomTom HD-traffic in the near future. They are currently debugging and testing their beta versions.

Harry

[JeCh]

I think Osmand should implement something itself. Why not start with something already existing. For example after a few seconds I was able to find this project: http://opentraffic.io/

An offline navigation will become useless within a few years. For example I still have to pay for data when traveling to another European country. But roaming fees will be canceled next year. So I will have no more reasons to use an offline navigation.

When driving within my country, I use Waze exclusively. One reason is that Osmand is too slow and can not be used in cities the othe reason is that Waze will warn me if something is going on in front of me (accident, colon, police etc.) I think Osmand should implement something like that.

[Paul Johnson]

On Thu, Jul 28, 2016 at 8:19 AM, JeCh <vladimi...@gmail.com> wrote:

An offline navigation will become useless within a few years.

I see someone's not familiar with cellphone coverage in rural North America.

[Poutnik]

Even in Europe, there is many places in mountains or valleys where
cellphone signal is missing.

[Greg Troxel]

JeCh <vladimi...@gmail.com> writes:

> I think Osmand should implement something itself. Why not start with
> something already existing. For example after a few seconds I was able to
> find this project: http://opentraffic.io/

(general positive nod)

> An offline navigation will become useless within a few years. For example I
> still have to pay for data when traveling to another European country. But
> roaming fees will be canceled next year. So I will have no more reasons to
> use an offline navigation.

You are overlooking or discounting multiple things:

not everyone is in EU and travels only to EU

online routing involves disclosing location and destination to web
services, which is a serious security problem

You should come to the US sometime. Or even go to the Highlands of
Scotland. You will find that there are large areas that do not have
cellular service.

> When driving within my country, I use Waze exclusively. One reason is that
> Osmand is too slow and can not be used in cities the othe reason is that
> Waze will warn me if something is going on in front of me (accident, colon,
> police etc.) I think Osmand should implement something like that.

If traffic and incident data can be downloaded in blocks that don't leak
too much privacy wise, that sounds like a great improvement.

[Greg Troxel]

fourth thing:

osmand works nicely on tablets with no data plans

[Yod4z]

Maybe osmand can simplement some use of https://github.com/openeventdatabase
And add some new button to add info on this base ( accident, work...)

[JeCh]

Paul Johnson, Greg Troxel> I know there are many places with no signal. But you probably don't take into account all that a wrote and other facts.

1) Traffic information is most useful in cities and on highways when the signal coverage is very good already now.
2) I didn't write it is useless now but that it will be in future. I do believe there will internet coverage on 99% of earth surface with a few years from balloons or satellites.
3) Current online navigation can work even without data access. If I use Waze and loose phone signal, it will continue to navigate for many more kilometers using the already downloaded data.
4) If you are afraid about the privacy and that somebody can track you, then you have no other option then to completely turn off your phone (or switch to airplane mode). The mobile operator knows where you are pretty well based on the BTS you are connected to.

And I never said that Osmand should drop the offline maps. I use them very often in mountains where is no data coverage or in foreign countries where mobile internet is very expensive. I like that it is offline.

The online traffic information should be an option. You should be able to switch to "stealth mode", if you choose to. What I meant to say is that I won't use any navigation without online traffic data, if I can. And since more and more people have prepaid data plans, it will become more important to offer traffic information.

As an example look at the HERE WeGo navigation. They have inaccurate information, outdated maps and terrible navigation engine without any options. But the combination of offline maps and online traffic information is nice.