An expert panel has approved plans to collect real-time location data on 17 million China Mobile subscribers to help resolve Beijing's traffic problems, reports FutureGov. Under the program, phones' locations will be registered with base stations then collected, aggregated and reviewed by transportation officers and city planners. The first phase of the Beijing Real-Time Travel Information Platform is expected to roll out in June. Once the program is up and running, the government plans to send the aggregated data back to citizens to help them make smart travel decisions. While the deputy director of social development said the data would only be used for traffic control--and mobile users' privacy would be protected--the panel that approved the plan recommended linking the platform with city-management efforts in other government departments.
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