TomTom’s IQ Routes Reveal US Aren’t Speeding

TomTom uses a system called IQ Routes that uses real time and historical data to calculate the optimal route to your destination. By recording speeds of traffic at all times of the day the system knows which roads are slow and which route will get you to your destination the quickest. Two years worth of data has been collected with average speeds being calculated on free flowing highways in the US and the data reveals that people in the US don’t speed in general.

The report found that in some cases, speed limits were exceeded but in general the average speed was below the limits imposed on the roads tracked. Although we mentioned IQ Routes in the title of this post and the post it’s self, the data is actually calculated using data from Speed Profiles who provide the historical database to TomTom and integrated as IQ Routes. The data is collected anonymously from GPS units sat in cars that are connected up via a mobile phone’s data plan so real time information can be collected.

Even drivers in the fastest states tend to stay within the speed limit range. Across all interstate highways, Mississippi has the fastest roads, with average speeds of just over 70 MPH and posted speed limits ranging from 65-70 MPH. New Mexico (70 MPH actual average, 70-75 MPH posted speed limits), Idaho (70 MPH actual average, 65-75 MPH posted speed limits), Utah (70 MPH actual average, 65-75 MPH posted speed limits) and Alabama (70 MPH actual average, 60-70 MPH posted speed limits), round out the top five states with the fastest interstates in the country;

It’s certainly interesting information and although it is common to see cars speed past you going 90+MPH, the average of all vehicles combined shows that speeds in general are good.

Via: HotHardware and Teleatlas