[Wezard]

I read somewhere, quite a while ago that municipality's were looking at charging for traffic data. (Governments will do anything to get some revenue) Their traffic sensors are where a lot, if not most, data comes from.

Traffic rerouting can be a bad thing in metro areas, theres not much in the way of sensors on the surface streets, so the algorithms assume they are moving as normal. While in fact everybody is using them to avoid whatever, and you end up in a worse mess.

And if you are truly offline, there won't be any traffic data anyway.

[Mirko935]

And if you are truly offline, there won't be any traffic data anyway.

How do you define "truly offline" and what other modes of offlineness exist?

[N9Swipe]

Their traffic sensors are where a lot, if not most, data comes from.

There was a story somewhere on Here Maps and it explained that they incorporate into their most up-to-date data sensors from delivery vehicles (UPS, FedEx, or somebody) to keep up with traffic and changes in roads. Also anyone running the app I believe contributes to the realtime traffic data. I could be wrong.

[Wezard]

There was a story somewhere on Here Maps and it explained that they incorporate into their most up-to-date data sensors from delivery vehicles (UPS, FedEx, or somebody) to keep up with traffic and changes in roads. Also anyone running the app I believe contributes to the realtime traffic data. I could be wrong.

No, you're prob right, the thing I was referencing was from quite a while back. I would suspect the other sources charge for their data, and have been all along, while the municipal was at one time free, (may still be). I think most states have a DOT site where you can look at their traffic data and often the cameras for free. If they are now charging for commercial use of that data, it could explain why some of the map apps no longer have traffic routing. Tom Tom was at one time playing with crowd sourced traffic data, no clue how that worked as dedicated GPS's are incapable of sending or reporting data. I'm vaguely aware that at least some of the map apps use crowd sourced data, but that's definitely not offline.

How do you define "truly offline" and what other modes of offlineness exist?

I meant not using cellular network data. You could download an offline map, pull your SIM out and still be able to navigate, but you wouldn't get any traffic data. Technically you would not be 'truly offline' since you are still receiving satellite timing pulses.
Truly offline might not have been the best wording, the point I was trying to make is, even if your map is offline, if you are getting traffic data, some of your navigation is coming from an online source, (and using cellular network data).