Google Maps, as well as the navigation app Waze, provide real-time traffic information that is essential for the daily commute or simply getting from place to place By using the location data of smartphones, Google can learn how fast people are moving

However, a German artist proved that Google Maps cannot determine if people are actually in a car

Simon Veckert, who specializes in technology-related works, experimented with creating a virtual traffic jam on Google Maps This involved purchasing 99 used smartphones, activating Google Maps on each smartphone, loading them into a small red wagon for children, and walking through the streets of Berlin with the wagon pulled behind

In the video "Google Maps Hacks," you can see the traffic increase on Google Maps, even though there were almost no cars along the street where Mr Weckert pulled the wagon loaded with smartphones

While Weckert's experiment is a metaphor for how humans interact with modern maps, I can't help but wonder if we can keep the roads near my apartment clear by having other drivers avoid the area

Of course, that would require buying several old smartphones, properly securing them, charging them, etc

In other words, it is unlikely that Google Maps users will reproduce Weckert's art and abuse the navigation app However, it is still possible that Google will adjust its algorithm to recognize that devices are too close to each other (aka piled together in a little red wagon) when generating traffic conditions

For more information on how to get the most out of your navigation app, see our list of best Google Maps features