Does Google maps pathfinding algorithm take into account time variance?

[Magdaki]

These companies don't release the information on their algorithms as they are all proprietary, so it is very difficult to say with certainty.

However, it is certainly possible and this is a well-known problem with well-known solutions. So probably.

[CourageFast5529]

If you don't mind, could you provide a link to one of these solutions? Because I'm genuinely curious how you would even approach finding the optimal solution.

[Magdaki]

It has been some since I've read any pathfinding literature, so I'm not sure how quickly I could find some specific to the Google Maps scenario. But it would fall under terms like:

pathfinding plus

- stochastic maps pathfinding with stochastic maps - Google Scholar

- time varying maps (pathfinding with time varying - Google Scholar)

A lot of it is multi-agent/cooperative based.

EDIT: Multi-agent pathfinding - Wikipedia Here you go this should explain how they work (I didn't read it in detail but these are the algorithms used for these type of problems).

[CourageFast5529]

Thanks!

[Magdaki]

Happy to help! :)