The problem of computing the driving directions from A to B can be divided into two equally important parts:
- Finding the best path from A to B.
- Identifying all the relevant maneuvers along that route.
While there is loads of information and research papers on the first topic, no one seems to be talking about the second one. And from my experience, computing instructions is a non-trivial problem for at least the following reasons:
- Maps are very complex, diverse and sometimes full of geometry inconsistencies.
- It is very hard to define what a "relevant maneuver" is. Some users might want to hear a "Go straight" instruction at each crossing, just for reassurance. Others would find this totally annoying.
- It is hard to compare two sets of instructions and decide which one is better (because of the previous point). This makes automatic regression testing impossible.
So, are there any resources on this topic? Some literature, best practices, or actually any kind of advice would be very welcome.
