OpenTrafficMap

· Source ↗

TLDR

  • Live open-source traffic map using V2X vehicle telemetry, showing 108 active devices and 237M+ processed packets via WebSocket stream.

Key Takeaways

  • Displays real-time vehicle types: cars, trucks, motorcycles, trams, buses, RSUs, pedestrians, cyclists, and traffic light geometry.
  • Backend ingests high packet volume: 238,384,446 received, 237,561,747 processed, 823,540 discarded as of late April 2026.
  • Data display age is configurable (default 5 min); map built on OSM styling with modern iconography.
  • Infrastructure runs 31 active tracks across 108 nodes feeding a live WebSocket endpoint.

Hacker News Comment Review

  • Key technical signal: project uses sub-£20 hardware to receive V2X messages (CAM, SPAT) – formats previously gated behind expensive 802.11p radio hardware, making this a meaningful accessibility breakthrough.
  • Coverage is currently limited to Europe; US commenters report no data, and the site lacks onboarding or info links, limiting adoption without community-contributed receivers.
  • Privacy concern raised: V2X CAM messages include vehicle identifiers, so the map could theoretically enable individual vehicle location tracking.

Notable Comments

  • @mlaretallack: confirms sub-£20 hardware decodes 802.11p V2X CAM/SPAT – previously cost-prohibitive for hobbyists.
  • @RobotToaster: source code lives at codeberg.org/opentrafficmap.

Original | Discuss on HN