Beat the Traffic draws on history of innovation to deliver traffic product

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Started as an Internet venture in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2001, Andre Gueziec combined his doctorate in computer science and a career working for IBM with his fascination with automobile traffic, traffic related data and graphic animation. His creation was the SF Bay Traffic Info Web site: www.sfbaytraffic.info.

Within three years and the help of some funding from the National Science Foundation, Gueziec created a nationwide portal he labeled BeatTheTraffic.com which displayed his proprietary software by the same name.  Recruiting fellow software engineers and graphic designers, Beat the Traffic was introduced at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas in April 2005. It was there that Beat the Traffic was recognized by Television Broadcast Magazine and honored with its NAB Top Innovation Award.

Gueziec and his team are focused on developing “best-in-class” applications and have chosen traffic reporting as its focus.

“Ultimately our process is an integration of what information users want and how they want to access this information. We offer the newest most advanced technology that insures a visually striking presentation that is simple to access and understand, all-the-while fun to watch,” said Gueziec. He maintains his focus is all about quality and the goal of producing a leading-edge product.

Beat the Traffic is the primary product of Gueziec’s company, Triangle Software LLC.  “I liked that name and the domain name TriangleSoftware.com was available, so I bought it.” The name also has a special meaning to Gueziec: “I based it on my previous career as a researcher and software engineer in 3D graphics. Triangles are simple geometric shapes that are at the basis of most complex shapes in 3D. Look at it this way — you can approximate any complicated shape by assembling triangles together. If the shape becomes more intricate the triangles only need to be smaller. Our 3D animation software for traffic reporting, Beat the Traffic-3D, is a representation of the 3D scene objects such as terrain, buildings and traffic as a multitude of small triangles.”

When asked about how Beat the Traffic stays ahead of the curve, Gueziec says, “We’ve set up an innovation cycle in the company that is driven by and large by NAB’s calendar. We believe in this show. Our product was first introduced there and our first customers came from exposure here at the NAB. The planning process for the next upgrade and newest version of software begins immediately after the show ends. This proves to be an exercise where each of my staff has a voice and they get to offer their observations made during the show and provide valuable input as to better define our product and make it even more attractive to our customers and ultimately their audience. The formula of keeping our framework around innovation from year-to-year keeps our entire team on their toes and gets their creative side to truly flourish.”

At NAB 2010, Beat the Traffic released Version 6.1 of its critically acclaimed traffic reporting system. BTT3D 6.1 focuses on simplicity and ease of use with an improved interface enabling traffic reporters to effortlessly navigate through rich data and set up traffic reports for air in a matter of seconds.  The upgrade includes improved interactive options using the popular Wii remote that allows added flexibility to select objects and maneuvering the the Wiimote.

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