SafeRoute

To make drivers in Detroit more confident by telling them which areas are safe by analysing past crime statistics

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Inspiration

As a team we were inspired by the keynote speaker, Garlin Gilchrist II (Detroit director of innovation and emerging technology), and his passion towards helping his city. We too saw value in Detroit's open data policy as a tool to improve Detroits reputation specifically by improving safety.

What it does

SafeRoute aims to improve the safety and awareness of Detroit drivers by constantly displaying a safety factor derived from historically analysed data around their geographic location. With this in mind, drivers are cognizant of when and where it is or is not wise to make a stop. Additionally, SafeRoute takes several input streams such as low fuel level, low tire pressure, etc. into account and informs the driver when it is safest to make a stop.

How we built it

We built SafeRoute primarily on the GM SDK. By using Detroit Open Data statistics of all the reported crime events within the city as our data set, we were able to interpret the data with a custom algorithm designed to determine the relative safety of an area in Detroit. The GM SDK gave us access to variables that would otherwise cause the driver to make a stop such as low tire pressure or fuel. Depending on the relative safety of an area, the algorithm asserts whether it is smart to make a stop or not. We used the Google Maps API to display a graph, plot the current position of the car, and act as a base for the heat map overlay. SafeRoute uses a caching system which fetches crime data daily in order to reduce system lag, and mitigate the need for constant high-speed internet access.

Challenges we ran into

  • Encountered some issues communicating between the GM SDK and the Google Maps API when trying to automate plotting locations
  • Our algorithm was initially very inefficient and caused the system to hang
  • Distributing tasks amongst the team

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • We created a product that has the ability to add value to many people's lives in Detroit
  • Having learnt how to use a new development platform
  • Having accomplished more than what we originally set out to do

What we learned

  • Effective allocation of tasks
  • Effective communication as a small software dev team
  • How to go about learning how to use a new development environment quickly

What's next for SafeRoute

  • Add functionality for point to point navigation
  • Increase algorithm efficiency to reduce lag
  • Complete offline functionality with cached maps
  • Seasonal analysis of trends
  • More cities

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