2024 is the year of the Olympic Games, where all the preparations needed for an event of maximum size have been made. And they are very concerned about mobility in the Paris region: the transport authority of Ile-de-France, the region where the capital is located, distribute the entire passenger flow according to the capacity of the transport network. But he ran into an obstacle: Google Maps.

The free map app not only puts us on the ground, but also directs us from one point to another, regardless of the means of transportation. Driving is the norm, but Google Maps also serves to guide you by bike, walking and public transport; It is a real miracle when traveling anywhere in the world. And always with a maxim: find the shortest and fastest route possible. This is why Google Maps is having problems in France, this optimization of the times does not match the Olympic predictions.

In a transport network predicted to collapse, the shortest journey may not always be the best

There are only a few months left until the Summer Olympic Games are held in Paris. As is often the case, preparations are moving at an excruciating pace and with a deadline that will overwhelm everyone involved, from the builders to those responsible for managing massive constructions. Crowds are expected for the event. This is where Île-de-France Mobilités, the organization that regulates transportation in the Ile-de-France Region where Paris is located, comes into play.

As we can read in Jeux Video, concerns about transportation are at the forefront on the days when the Olympic Games (26 July – 11 August) and the Paralympic Games (28 August – 8 September) are held. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo had already expressed doubts in November 2023 about the transport network’s capacity to handle mobility throughout the Olympic dates. Those responsible also evaluate all issues that may affect the mobility in question.

Laurent Probst, president of Île-de-France Mobilités, expressed concerns about the liability Google Maps might have in destabilizing the Paris transportation network. Since the mapping application aims to take its users from one point to another by following the shortest and fastest route, This mechanism may conflict with influx predictions which the transport organization will consider for different competitions. In anticipation of this, Île-de-France Mobilités requests that Maps and other similar applications such as City Cartographer restrict routes so that only the organization’s official application, “Paris Public Transport 2024”, can be used.

The transport network plans to distribute spectators attending different competitions in the most efficient way possible for that network and without the risk of filling the busiest lines. Even plans use alternative routes that may be longer than usualAll to avoid crowds as much as possible. Because Google Maps works differently, Île-de-France Mobilités wants other applications to use the same routing strategy.

As Laurent Probst stated:

“We asked them to convey our transportation plans so that the passenger could use the route we specified.”

So what would happen if Google Maps and other independent transportation apps didn’t follow the rules set by the Paris transportation authority? Among your plans Requesting that the applications in question be blocked because they do not meet security requirements. Laurent Probst made this clear in a statement: «They will be asked to close their application. This is a public safety issue.».

Is it possible for France to block applications that are important to Google Maps in the country? Absolutely not, especially since Île-de-France Mobilités relies on companies with guidance practices They will undertake the requirements by offering routes recommended by the transport authority.. We’ll see how things develop, though: We’ve got six months left to find out.

Cover image | Ivan Linares

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