Transportation Modes
Overview#
Transportation mode detection analyzes your tracks to identify how you were traveling:
- Stationary - Not moving
- Walking - Moving at walking pace
- Running - Moving faster than walking but slower than cycling
- Cycling - Moving at typical cycling speeds
- Driving - Moving at typical car speeds
- Motorcycle - High-speed driving with higher acceleration patterns
- Bus - Urban transit with regular stops
- Train - High-speed, smooth acceleration travel
- Boat - Water-based travel
- Flying - Air travel at aircraft speeds
How It Works#
Transportation mode detection uses a combination of factors:
Speed Analysis#
Each mode has characteristic speed ranges (in km/h):
| Mode | Speed Range |
|---|---|
| Stationary | 0-1 km/h |
| Walking | 1-7 km/h |
| Running | 7-20 km/h |
| Cycling | 7-45 km/h |
| Driving | 15-220 km/h |
| Bus | 10-100 km/h |
| Train | 30-350 km/h |
| Boat | 1-80 km/h |
| Flying | 150-950 km/h |
Acceleration Patterns#
When speeds overlap between modes (e.g., cycling vs. running), the system analyzes acceleration patterns:
- Walking has smooth, low acceleration
- Running has more variable acceleration
- Cycling is smoother than running
- Driving shows stop-and-go patterns
- Trains have remarkably consistent speed with minimal acceleration changes
Source Data#
If your tracking app records activity data (like OwnTracks or Google Timeline), Dawarich will use that information when available, falling back to movement analysis when source data isn't present.
Configuring Speed Thresholds#
You can customize the speed thresholds to better match your travel patterns. Go to Settings to configure:
Basic Thresholds#
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Walking Max Speed | 7 km/h | Maximum speed considered walking |
| Cycling Max Speed | 45 km/h | Maximum speed considered cycling |
| Driving Max Speed | 220 km/h | Maximum speed considered driving |
| Flying Min Speed | 150 km/h | Minimum speed to be considered flying |
Expert Mode#
Enable expert mode to access additional advanced settings:
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Stationary Max Speed | 1 km/h | Maximum speed considered stationary |
| Running vs Cycling Accel | 0.25 m/s² | Acceleration threshold to distinguish running from cycling |
| Cycling vs Driving Accel | 0.4 m/s² | Acceleration threshold to distinguish cycling from driving |
| Train Min Speed | 80 km/h | Minimum speed to consider train travel |
| Min Segment Duration | 60 seconds | Minimum duration for a segment to be classified |
| Time Gap Threshold | 180 seconds | Gap between points to start a new segment |
| Min Flight Distance | 100 km | Minimum distance to be considered a flight |
Viewing Transportation Modes#
On Tracks#
When viewing individual tracks, you can see the detected transportation mode for each segment. Tracks may contain multiple segments with different modes (e.g., walking to a train station, train travel, then cycling to your destination).
In Statistics#
The Insights page shows an Activity Breakdown that displays:
- Percentage of time spent in each transportation mode
- Total duration for each mode
- Visual progress bars comparing modes
In GeoJSON Exports#
When exporting tracks as GeoJSON, the transportation mode information is included in the track properties.
Recalculation#
When you change transportation threshold settings, you can trigger a recalculation of existing tracks:
- Go to Settings
- Modify your transportation thresholds
- Save your settings
- A background job will recalculate transportation modes for your tracks
Info
Recalculation runs in the background and may take some time depending on how many tracks you have.
Tips for Accurate Detection#
Improve Detection Accuracy#
- Track consistently - Regular GPS points help the algorithm analyze movement patterns
- Adjust thresholds - If you're an unusually fast walker or slow cyclist, adjust the thresholds to match
- Use source data - Apps that record activity type (like Google Timeline) provide more accurate data
Common Misclassifications#
- Cycling vs Running: Both modes overlap in the 7-20 km/h range. The system uses acceleration patterns to distinguish them, but casual cycling may be classified as running.
- Driving vs Train: High-speed highway driving may be classified as train travel. Adjust the train_min_speed threshold if needed.
- Bus vs Driving: Bus detection is challenging without explicit stop pattern data. Most bus trips are classified as driving.
Movement & Wellness#
The Insights page uses transportation mode data to provide wellness insights:
- Active Time - Total time spent walking, running, and cycling
- Sedentary vs Active - Compares time in transport vs. active movement
- Activity Ratio - Shows the balance between active and sedentary time
This helps you understand your movement patterns and can motivate more active transportation choices.
Technical Details#
Segment Detection#
Tracks are split into segments based on:
- Time gaps between points (default: 3 minutes)
- Significant speed changes
- Source activity data changes
Each segment is classified independently, allowing a single track to contain multiple transportation modes.
Confidence Levels#
Each classification includes a confidence level:
- High - Clear, unambiguous classification (very slow or very fast speeds)
- Medium - Reasonable confidence based on speed and acceleration
- Low - Ambiguous cases where multiple modes could apply
Minimum Requirements#
For accurate classification, tracks should have:
- At least 2 GPS points
- Duration of at least 30 seconds
- Regular point intervals for acceleration calculation