Google Maps Hacks by Simon Weckert

Simon WeckertCited 3× on HN, 2023–2025

YouTube

demo · general · evergreen · 2023–2025 on HN

An art project by Simon Weckert in which 99 smartphones pulled in a handcart create a fake traffic jam on Google Maps. A green street shows as red, which diverts cars to other routes.

HN cites it as a playful example of attacking crowd-sourced traffic data and of how automated systems can be fooled.

3 comments from Hacker News

@DonHopkins2025-09 · in “That Secret Service SIM farm story is bogus”

Maybe they were going to use them to hack Google Maps and fake traffic jams! An Artist Used 99 Phones to Fake a Google Maps Traffic Jam: link Google Maps Hacks by Simon Weckert ▶ this video >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

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@irjustin2024-05 · in “One malicious car could trick smart traffic control systems in the US (2018)”

As far as traffic attack vectors go, this is semi-intersting. I like the wagon of smart phones attack[0]. Seems more fun and easy to do. I'll bet you could get all of Waymo's cars to reroute or force them to funnel into one street. THAT would be a cool show. [0] ▶ this video

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@mabbo2023-08 · in “Microsoft AI suggests Ottawa food bank as a “cannot miss” tourist spot”

▶ this video He put 99 smart phones in a wagon with all of them running Google maps in drive mode. Google interpreted this as a traffic jam, and made other cars avoid the area.

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