Group Navigation Prototype
Overview
Coordinating multiple cars to the same meetup is harder than it sounds, so I built a prototype that authenticates each driver, tracks their live GPS coordinates, and shares everyone’s position on an interactive Leaflet map. The system combines classic Flask routes for authentication with Flask-SocketIO for location streaming so the UI updates instantly without refreshing.
Feature Highlights
- Account system: Secure registration/login backed by hashed passwords, admin roles, and profile editing right from the dashboard.
- Live map: Leaflet + OpenStreetMap tiles show a blue dot for the current user and red markers for the rest of the convoy. Socket events broadcast updates multiple times per minute.
- Admin controls: A guard-railed dashboard lets a safety lead reset passwords, remove inactive drivers, or verify that everyone has shared their location before rollout.
- Testing & scripts: Pytest suites cover profile CRUD while helper scripts automate admin creation and password resets.
Implementation Notes
- Built with Python 3.11, Flask 2.3, Flask-SocketIO, SQLite, and vanilla JS on the front end.
navigator.geolocation.watchPosition() powers high-frequency updates; the server fans changes out through location_update WebSocket events.- Database schema keeps metadata like vehicle type, last latitude/longitude, and timestamps for auditing after long drives.
Next Iterations
Planned enhancements include driving directions between vehicles, historical route playback, and migrating to Postgres + Redis so we can scale beyond a dozen simultaneous drivers.
Repository