New York: Path Planning

New York is a must-visit city with so much to offer. However, driving in New York is extremely burdensome, not only for unfamiliar tourists but also for experienced locals. Only through proper planning, can one travel the hectic roads of New York. 

With this in mind, I implemented the A* path planning algorithm on a map of New York. I have tried to find the shortest path between any 2 locations in New York City.

Learnings:

• Algorithm Analysis

• Algorithm Testing

• Modular Programming

Further Developments:

• The A* path planning algorithm efficiently maps the shortest distance between two points, but its current limitation lies in not factoring in the time element, which is crucial for effective path planning in a city setting. In the future, I would like to learn how to incorporate live traffic data, to improve this algorithm's efficacy.

  • Steps: 

    • Find a reliable API that provides real-time traffic data

    • Modify the algorithm to account for time by implementing dynamic weights. Roads with higher traffic will receive higher cost

• Improving the UI of the application. In the current version of the application, the user manually inputs the x,y coordinates o set the start and stop positions. of the grid are specified to initiate the start and stop position. In future updates, I plan to introduce a graphical element that allows users to drop a pin directly onto the map or simply click on the desired locations.