An intersection in my town just converted from a 4 way light to a roundabout, and the gps was changed to reflect within a week. Who does this and how???
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Basically states and governments have planning systems for new areas and changes to roads, map makers buy this data. Then a lot of apps like google maps, apple maps, Pokemon go add more data, which is then sold/used to improve the map.
Old system used aeroplanes.
GIS. Someone goes in using a program like ArcGis PRO and creates a road and gives it coordinates and data that the GPS can then reference.
I work in GIS for my city.
A lot of people use for instance google based gps apps. Each travel creates a track. When lot of new people create tracks which are not in the system (mismatch identified compared to existing road segments) a simple algorithm can flag this anomaly. Then map editors can compare this to fresh satellite images (most areas pictured daily) and redraw the road segments.
Waze, Google also relies pn community updates so let users report changes and provide map editing software too for that.
Waze also has interfaces for governmental agencies so the road authority can set closures, initiate changes.
Gps satellites does not do much just emitting a signal periodically and communicating the time and where they are. Your device is responsible to calculate you position based on satellite info (your device has to see at least 4 satellites to lock you on earth)
In most countries when you apply to build new roads, you have to get planning permission and submit maps, etc.
Nowdays, that goes up the chain and is incorporated into official mapping data upon approval which organisations like highways agencies, or planning departments, or local councils will be offering to the companies that produce things like satnav mapping.
Likely each road is entered into the system as soon as it happens / is completed, and the mapping company is buying a very expensive subscription to such changes from another company that handles actually turning those plans into GIS data that everyone can use.
In the UK, places like the Ordnance Survey make most of their money by selling mapping like this, and the local councils have to submit any changes or additions of roads to the Highways Agency that likely coordinates mapping that’s then sold out to places like satnav companies and even things like Google Maps.
GPS doesn’t. It’s just a constellation of satellites emitting a signal that your phone, car, or fighter jet receives. If you can receive at least 3 satellites’ signals, you can find your position on the globe.
The software on your phone downloads map data off the Internet and then uses the GPS signal to pinpoint your position on that map data.
So, the question is how does Google/Ways, Apple, TomTom, etc get updated data so quickly? Well, they use a number of different data sources, like public records, aerial photography, and cars with cameras mounted to the roofs.
It’s important to note that if your car has a built-in GPS navigation system that uses only stored data, you have to manually update the map data periodically as it goes out of date.
GPS doesn’t have any awareness of roads. A device that relies on GPS gets your location from a satellite and puts it on the map.
As for the map itself, it’s big companies that keep things updated. They use various techniques, like real-time data from all the devices that use GPS, satellite and aerial photos, and cameras on their own cars (Google: street view car).
Some of it is crowdsourcing, meaning regular users request edits to the roads. Everytime the speed cameras are moved someone updates the new locations in waze then it goes live for everyone to see.
A couple of years ago I worked on a project converting a T-junction to a 4-arm roundabout, adding access to the adjacent business park.
When the roundabout opened, I went on Google maps and requested they update their map data in this location, stating it was now a roundabout. After about a week the maps updated.
I assume they used GPS track data from vehicles using the junction and “created” the junction outline from there. We didn’t send them any maps or drawings.
Waze has an entire community of enthusiasts that edit the maps. They are organized across several levels with different capabilities depending on seniority. I’m a member but I simply report stuff like road closures etc. Others confirm and then make the changes.
Depending on the GPS service you use, older stand-alone devices that dont connect to the internet would have to be manually updated by either a memory card with updates on it or be connected to a computer.
Internet based GPS, like the kind on your phone or in your car would be able to pretty much update by itself or tell you when an update is available.
For those internet-based GPS maps, sometimes it is up to users to send in update reports to their respective map GPS services. You can report road closures, construction closures that make a street one-way, new bike path, roads that were demolished and will not be replaced, errors in the way the app makes directions for you to follow, and many other reasons.
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