Google Maps is launching a feature that allows Australian commuters to view up-to-date traffic flow information.   I guess this is just a natural extension of Google Maps.  BTW Google Maps was developed out of Google engineers in Sydney Australia. 

Traffic information is overlaid on to Google Maps to correspond to the speed of the traffic with green meaning "free sailing", yellow meaning "medium congestion", red meaning "heavy congestion" and black meaning "parking lot."

I can see value in this in checking the traffic on your route before say you leave home.   

Traffic conditions in the Sydney CBD as per Google Maps Traffic