Google Maps working on better road traffic estimation

Google has quietly removed traffic estimates from its Google Maps service, but hinted it is now working on a "better, more accurate" solution. A Google employee, Daniel Mabasa, confirmed the search giant removed the feature in a thread on the Google Maps support section. "We have decided that our information systems behind this feature were not as good as they could be. Therefore, we have taken this offline and are currently working to come up with a better, more accurate solution," he said. "We are always working to bring you the best Google Maps experience with updates like these!" he added. Before removing the feature, Google Maps had provided motorists with an estimated time of arrival (ETA) with and without traffic. Posts on the thread indicated many motorists miss the feature. "It would be better if Google left the ETA as a map setting option and disable as default, because I guess some people still need it even we all know it is not (accurate)," Dell Hu said. An article on Search Engine Roundtable said the ETA feature was "one of the more useful features" of Google Maps. "Personally, I found Google's traffic data more accurate than any other live traffic information. Google croudsourced phones for real time traffic data and I thought it worked well," it said. — TJD, GMA News