Man tricks Google Maps by carting around 99 smartphones

A man in Berlin, Germany has seemingly tricked Google Maps.

Simon Weckert was pulling around 99 smartphones in a handcart while walking through the city. This caused Google Maps to register severe congestion where he was walking and turn the streets bright red on Google Maps.

The YouTube description reads “99 smartphones are transported in a handcart to generate virtual traffic jam in Google Maps. Through this activity, it is possible to turn a green street red which has an impact in the physical world by navigating cars on another route to avoid being stuck in traffic. #googlemapshacks.”

All these smartphones would have likely had to be on, with location services on and using data for this to happen. Also, the fact he was in the middle of the street pulling these phones in a wagon could be the reason why Maps didn’t assume there were a lot of people walking.

Source: Simon Weckert, Via: Boing Boing