Testbench: Inrix traffic

Inrix Traffic lets you know about traffic blackspots before you've left the house

I know a satnav app when I see one. No you don’t – this isn’t a satnav app, although it does look a bit like one.

So what is it? As the name suggests, Inrix Traffic aims to tell you where the traffic blackspots are, and what route to take to avoid them.

How does it do that then? In a variety of ways. Inrix gathers GPS datas from trucks, cameras and linked-in in-car systems but the app alo relies heavily on “crowd-sourced” data.

Crowd-sourced? If you are stuck in traffic, the app reports back to base. It’s very easy to manually report incidents such as roadworks or accidents, which, when you’re stuck in a traffic jam, is a lot more satisfying than drafting angry letters to the council.

Anything else? Once you have set up your home and your work address, you can check on the app before you make your morning commute and check which route is the least snarled up. If you don’t believe Inrix’s colour-coded jam rating system, you can even see footage from traffic cameras on the route.

Any room for improvement? It would be great if it was integrated with a turn-by-turn satnav facility. The price of the premium version of the app has been cut recently, but it is probably still a bit too expensive, given that Google Maps is free.

STUART FARQUHAR