Hello, this is the Customer Success team at GeoTechnologies Inc.
As we receive various questions daily at the MapFan API support desk, we often realize, "We could have explained this more clearly..."
Therefore, we've looked back at the questions received in the first half of fiscal year 2025 and compiled the TOP 3 most frequently asked questions.
We hope this will be helpful to you.
#2: "Road Traffic Volume API - How is traffic volume counted?"
Q. Questions we received:
"How is it counted when a vehicle passes through different time slots?"
"Is the number you get the total number of vehicles, or unique count?"
"If the same car passes multiple times, is it counted each time?"
"If I'm stuck in traffic, does it keep counting continuously?"
The Road Traffic (vehicles) API is used for traffic congestion prediction and suggesting congestion-avoidance routes. Questions about how this data is counted and what the numbers mean ranked second. Many of you may have had similar questions.
A. 🤔 Common scenarios
For example, imagine this case:
During morning rush hour:
A delivery truck enters a main road at 8:55 AM and continues driving on the same road until 9:05 AM while caught in traffic...
- Is it counted in the 06:00-08:59 time slot?
- Is it counted in the 09:00-11:59 time slot?
- Or both?
Furthermore, if the same truck passes through the same road again in the afternoon, is that counted separately?
Understanding this counting method correctly when building your system may help you utilize it more effectively.
📊 How the Road Traffic Volume API works
Actually, the traffic volume data obtained from the Road Traffic (vehicles) API is not simply "the number of passing vehicles." It's calculated using a proprietary estimation method to reflect actual traffic volume.
Basic points to understand:
📅 Time units are in 3-hour intervals
The displayed average traffic volume (vehicles) is not "per day," but rather the average traffic volume (vehicles/hour) for each 3-hour time slot. This allows you to grasp changes in traffic volume by time period in detail.
👥 Counting method is "total vehicle count"
Even if the same vehicle passes multiple times, it's counted each time. In other words, it's counted as "total vehicle count" rather than "unique count." For example, in delivery operations where the same route is traveled back and forth, both the outbound and return trips are counted separately.
Important points:
🚦 About traffic crossing time slots
In cases like the earlier example (traveling on the same road from 8:55 to 9:05), it's actually counted in both time slots. This allows the data to reflect conditions closer to actual traffic volume.
🅿️ Stopped vehicle data is excluded
Position information when stopped on the road (such as waiting for someone or loading/unloading cargo) is not used as estimation data. Only "moving vehicles" are counted.
🔄 When the same vehicle passes again
If the same vehicle passes through again on the same day after some time has passed (e.g., morning and afternoon), it's counted independently in each time slot. Since it uses the total vehicle count method, it's correctly reflected as actual traffic volume.
⏱️ Handling of detailed logs
Even if multiple position information points are recorded in a short time, traffic volume is not excessively estimated. Through appropriate processing, values close to actual traffic volume are calculated.
💬 From the Support Team:
The counting method for pedestrians follows the same principle. Detailed specifications for the Road Traffic (vehicles) API are documented in the technical specifications.
If you have any questions, such as "I'd like to know more about what this number means," please contact our support team anytime.
✅ Summary: The Support Team is on your side
The content introduced today consists of actual questions we've received from many customers.
You may have thought, "I wonder if it's okay to ask about something like this..." but please feel free to contact us with any question, no matter how small.
The Support Team will do everything we can to support you in using MapFan API smoothly.
Check out the other top questions:
#1: "I want to know how PVs are counted" – カスタマーサクセスサイト