GPS-STI: GPS with static traffic info

Idea: Garmin, and most other companies selling GPS devices offer traffic receivers. They come in pretty handy because they avoid traffic tie-ups by adding a traffic receiver and traffic services to your compatible GPS device. Your GPS navigator uses traffic information to minimize traffic delays on your route. The only catch here is you got to pay big bucks for this dynamic content. I claim that the amount of traffic content you really need to base your decision upon is not really dynamic. Not only that, but in case of a really dynamic event, even traffic receivers might not do the best job. So, how about storing last year's average (hour-by-hour, every 15 minutes) traffic information along with the maps on your GPS device. Using this static information, your GPS can make intelligent choices for you, and guess what you don't have to worry about your traffic receiver malfunctioning or paying for the dynamic content which you really don't need.

Reward: Since the information is static, software can do significantly better job (TSP?) at finding you the best route for the hour.

Bonus: You could also study last 5 (or 10) years traffic data and make traffic predictions. Also, based on this static information, you can avoid paths with higher statistics on accidents in certain season.

Traveling Taxicab

Idea: As a software engineer, I often keep wondering about classic computer science problems and their applications. Take for example, the traveling salesman problem. Now let's try to apply it to current taxicab system in the US. Currently, you have to call the cab service where an operator receives your call and after going through his/her online records, contacts a driver nearest to you. This method is not perfect. Not only it's error-prone, the human operator doesn't always make the optimal choices. So let's apply the TSP here. Most cabs (cars) have in-built GPS nowadays. If the cellphone of a client is able to transmit his/her current location, the nearest cab could pick up his/her signal and accommodate him/her on the way given it doesn't violate the time constraints of the other passengers in the cab.

Reward: A complete automated and most optimal cab system.

Bonus: Different cab companies could share/transfer GPS and their data points in order to carpool as much as possible to save on gas. A cellphone application can be developed to have your individual preferences stored and call an appropriate cab once requested.