The Path is the Goal: a Study on the Nature and Effects of Shortest-Path Stability Under Perturbation of Destination

Abstract

This work examines the phenomenon of path variability in urban navigation, where small changes in destination might lead to significantly different suggested routes. Starting from an observation of this variability over the city of Barcelona, we explore whether this is a localized or widespread occurrence and identify factors influencing path variability. We introduce the concept of "path stability", a measure of how robust a suggested route is to minor destination adjustments, define a detailed experimentation process and apply it across multiple cities worldwide. Our analysis shows that path stability is shaped by city-specific factors and trip characteristics, also identifying some common patterns. Results reveal significant heterogeneity in path stability across cities, allowing for categorization into "stable" and "unstable" cities. These findings offer new insights for urban planning and traffic management, highlighting opportunities for optimizing navigation systems to enhance route consistency and urban mobility.