> Google Maps has real time traffic data and the accuracy is staggering.

But does Google Maps use real time traffic data to calculate the most optimal route in the same way as Waze does? As I understand, that's the main difference between the two.

Yes, they definitely both take traffic into account when calculating a route. My suspicion is that they're actually using the same raw data, but Waze is tuned to be more aggressive. Waze routinely guides me off a main road onto a side street to avoid two blocks of congestion for a net gain of maybe 1 minute, Google Maps doesn't.

In my experience this is very much true - in Sao Paulo, Waze is heavily used by everyone, and I mostly use Ubers and taxis while working here - and the agressiveness in which Waze will suggest a 5-more-turns, using local roads, to gain (maybe) one minute really sets them apart from Google Maps.

Google Maps' UI is tuned to show you alternatives and their ETA, and it's up to you to take them or not - Waze will just update routes without user input.

Waze aggressiveness is ridiculous. They don't factor in the time waiting in queue to turn left, the intersections you may have to cross causing delays, etc versus just staying the course on a main road. The only benefit are the minute savers that fall for the new route clearing up traffic for me to stay the course. In that way, Waze is great for me while making others take "shortcuts" that really aren't shortcuts.

Anecdotal, but there have been several cases where I've been using Google Maps and it pops up a message saying that it found a faster route. All of these cases have been because of accidents or extreme traffic, and all have been on the same route (94 East from Eau Claire, WI to Madison, WI). As far as I know, Google Maps doesn't route traffic through side streets to save seconds like Waze does - it seems to re-route you when there are major delays.

>But does Google Maps use real time traffic data to calculate the most optimal route in the same way as Waze does?

Anecdotally in the UK I see Google Maps routing based on live traffic data. I also often get a reassurance notification "you are on the fastest route despite traffic" (and it distinguishes between "traffic" and "usual traffic"). Occasionally I'll also get a recommendation pushed to switch to another route which is faster

I’ve never used Wayz so can’t compare but quite a few other comments note how aggressive Wayz is at re-routing.

At points where there are multiple route options it will indicate how many minutes faster or slower each option is.

They certainly get different results - but as I said, I don't know the intricacies of their system

Google Maps does real-time route correction based on traffic delays. I'm not sure about any rules applied for avoiding specific local streets but it definitely warns you about traffic ahead and suggests an alternative route. It also uses historic data to estimate travel times if you tell it when (day, time) you want to leave or when you want to arrive somewhere.

We like to think of all the NIMBY's and school streets but these types of "shortcuts" suggested by mapping apps is also what sometimes leads people into dangerous neighborhoods and tragic consequences.

Android location services upload to Google by default. Google even make it a feature https://www.google.com/maps/timeline?pb

I've seen Google Maps claim that a specific 500-foot stretch had a traffic jam when there were, in fact, no cars on it or anywhere near it besides mine.

Just a guess, but perhaps the only other map users had pulled over to the side and stopped. Google may have interpreted that as a traffic jam and you didn’t see them. I’m not arguing a point, it’s just a thought as to how that may happen.