Why Doesn't My GPS Simulator Automatically Follow Roads?
One of the most common surprises when first using a GPS route simulator is observing straight-line movement between plotted waypoints. This guide demystifies the fundamental boundary between geographic satellite coordinates and map-matching algorithms.
1. GPS Satellites Have No Concept of Roads
Physical GNSS satellites orbiting 20,000 kilometers in space transmit radio signals encoding time and orbital ephemeris. A GPS receiver processes these signals to calculate an exact point on Earth's ellipsoidal surface:
Satellites do not know what asphalt is. They have no concept of lanes, one-way streets, intersections, bridges, or speed limits. Roads exist solely as visual vector layers drawn on top of map databases (like OpenStreetMap or Google Maps).
2. Straight-Line Waypoint Movement
In Mockery Controller, routes are modeled as an ordered sequence of geographic coordinates:
The vehicle travels directly along the geodesic arc from point A to point B at your chosen velocity (e.g. 50 km/h).
To simulate realistic street driving with Mockery Controller, you simply click intermediate waypoints along the street corridor (e.g. at highway ramps or intersections):
3. How Navigation Apps Perform "Road Snapping"
Why Google Maps or Waze seems to snap your simulated vehicle onto streets.
If Mockery produces raw straight-line coordinates, why does your vehicle icon in Google Maps often appear to "stick" perfectly to the road?
The answer is client-side map-matching:
The Map-Matching Algorithm
Navigation apps know that physical GPS signals drift by 5 to 15 meters due to buildings and trees. If the app displayed raw coordinates literally, your car icon would constantly jump onto sidewalks and into buildings.
Centerline Projection
To create a polished user experience, the navigation app projects incoming coordinates onto the nearest road vector in its database. If your simulated point is within ~25 meters of a road, the app draws you right on that road's centerline.
Plot Your First Custom Route
Open Mockery Controller and click to plot straight-line waypoints along any highway, city street, or rural corridor.