eli5 – How do applications like Google Maps and Apple Maps know when there is a traffic jam? Where does the information come from?

Question

eli5 – How do applications like Google Maps and Apple Maps know when there is a traffic jam? Where does the information come from?

In: Technology

Answer 1

TL;DR from what other commenters have said:

The Maps apps use people’s location data to know when there are a bunch of people moving slowly on a certain street.