# Does Google Maps assume I'm speeding when giving me estimated time of arrival? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440 "2022-09-12T14:35:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440/81 "2022-09-14T14:43:12Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > This happens to me when I drive on I-95. I like to take the Cuomo Bridge (nee Tappan Zee Bridge) around New York City rather than the George Washington Bridge through it. Google will insist on routing me to the George Washington Bridge for far longer than it ought. The estimated delay going over the GW Bridge from New Jersey always seems to be ridiculously optimistic. The other way seems fine. But I can’t count the number of times GMaps has said 20 minute delay and it’s been over an hour to go those three miles in Fort Lee. I feel like Chris Christie has hacked that part of Google Maps. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440/82 "2022-09-14T14:53:40Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > The estimated delay going over the GW Bridge from New Jersey always seems to be ridiculously optimistic. This was my experience crossing the Canadian/US border this summer – it was off by over an hour. The border crossing includes an express lane for pre-screened vehicles. My suspicion is that the Google algorithm did not know how to resolve the differences between the different lanes (5 minutes vs. 90 minutes). Perhaps something similar with the GW Bridge? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440/83 "2022-09-15T16:11:11Z")
> [@CaveMike](#): > > My suspicion is that the Google algorithm did not know how to resolve the differences between the different lanes (5 minutes vs. 90 minutes). Perhaps something similar with the GW Bridge? We have tolled express lanes on our interstates here. So 2 lanes where you pay, and 3-5 where you don’t. Often the express lanes are driving at 80-90mph while the non-express lanes at the same spot are doing 5-10mph. Google finds this baffling. And yes, when somebody from the non-express lanes decides to jump through a small gap in the plastic poles and join the high-speed express traffic, usually without looking and definitely without considering the relative speeds, very impressive accidents result. Daily. Miami driving is speshul that way. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440/84 "2022-09-15T16:31:49Z")
I have a similar question. A few years back, I noticed on a long drive that the arrival time never changed, even though I was speeding. Not massively so - let’s say the speed limit was 70 and I was going between 75 and 80. For a drive of an hour or less, any arrival time tweaking would be insignificant. But I’d set a destination about 300 miles away. At 70 MPH, that’s 4.28 hours. At 75 MPH, that’s exactly 4 hours - so, about 17 minutes faster. But my estimated arrival time wavered only by a minute or two. So my best guess is that there IS some assumption of speeding built in - possibly based on average speed of other cars on the road. Certainly I’ve seen arrival times get extended when there’s heavy traffic. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > We have tolled express lanes on our interstates here. So 2 lanes where you pay, and 3-5 where you don’t. Often the express lanes are driving at 80-90mph while the non-express lanes at the same spot are doing 5-10mph. Google finds this baffling. I thought you were in the DC metro area until I reread your post and saw “Miami”. We have similar HOT lanes. Google Maps sometimes reacts to that, sometimes not. It also gets very, very confused when I take a very specific exit off of the beltway (from the HOT lanes), which goes a very different route than the regular-lane exit. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440/85 "2022-09-15T16:34:40Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > According to this, estimated time of arrival is updated after you’ve done some driving to reflect your average speed. > **[GPS route planning software: How telematics elevates your fleet](https://www.verizonconnect.com/resources/article/gps-route-planning/)** > > Route optimization is the process of determining the most cost-efficient route for drivers. For fleet managers, sophisticated GPS route planning software exists, allowing you to create more resilient and efficient maps depending on your needs. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2022, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440/86 "2022-09-16T02:10:56Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I do not know how they calculate the time but my assumption has always been that Google collects the data of people driving on the route you are taking and calculates the average speed (basically the traffic flow). When I was commuting a while ago I noticed that the given speed for the freeway was an average of the faster HOV lane and the slower regular lanes. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2022, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440/87 "2022-09-16T13:24:00Z")
14 hours 46 minutes ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440/88 "2022-09-18T10:45:40Z")
I just did the White House to Mar-a-Lago route and got 14h 2m for 997 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440/89 "2022-09-19T01:36:43Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > When I was commuting a while ago I noticed that the given speed for the freeway was an average of the faster HOV lane and the slower regular lanes. It is clear Google takes current traffic into account. If I map a local route (say within 20 miles) Google will color code the route with red, yellow to let me know of slow places and it is clearly calculating traffic flow to estimate my time. If I map a route at 3a I get a different time than if I map it at 3p. I think Google must be tracking phones that are on those same roads and sampling the time it takes them to move on certain sections and uses that data to give me a time estimate. More is happening than calculating the speed limit on those roads. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-maps-assume-im-speeding-when-giving-me-estimated-time-of-arrival/971440.md?page=4)