Simon Weckert hacks Google Maps with 99 smartphones to fake traffic jam
German artist Simon Weckert tricked Google Maps into showing a traffic jam on an empty Berlin street by pulling a wagon with 99 smartphones. The GPS signals from the phones made the app believe 99 vehicles were present, turning the road red on the map and diverting real drivers. Weckert got the idea during a protest in May 2019, noticing that crowds with phones were read as traffic. Google responded positively, appreciating the creative use of Maps to improve the algorithm.
Key facts
- Simon Weckert is a German artist
- He used 99 smartphones in a wagon to fake a traffic jam
- The hack targeted Google Maps in Berlin
- The street appeared red on the map, indicating heavy traffic
- The idea came from a protest in May 2019
- Google responded positively to the hack
- The project highlights algorithmic limitations
- The artist's website is simonweckert.com/googlemapshacks.html
Entities
Artists
- Simon Weckert
Institutions
- Artribune
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany