Waze refers to a geographical navigation application software/program for GPS enabled Smartphones. It was developed by the Israeli start-up Waze Mobile but later acquired by Google in 2013. This app prompts turn-by-turn information to be displayed on the modified screen, including route details and travel times as submitted by the user. Waze allows users to receive location related information over a telephone network. It also won the best overall mobile application award during the 2003 Mobile World Congress. It is one of the largest community based new traffic and navigation app that uses a modern GPS network system.
Advantages of Waze
Waze has several benefits both to road users as well as traffic controllers since it is community driven, and enables up-to-date information to be shared. It also collects several other data like driving speeds as well as locations and sends this information back to the database as a move towards service improvement.
The advantages can be broadly categorized into;
- Convenience – The users are able to share real-time road and traffic information online complete with route and reasons for the delay thus reducing inconveniences caused by jams. When traveling via a given route, traffic jams may cause severe inconveniences through delays and fuel consumption. Every driver knows that slowly moving cars run on lower gears which need more fuel to enable the engine rotate them. Driving and receiving real-time road information concurrently help many in choosing the smoothest and fastest routes to their jobs and workplaces by avoiding busy roads. This also helps in faster communication of road accidents and subsequent clearing. Once the schedule is back in normal functioning, the information is shared immediately to other road users.
- Security – The Waze uses crowd-sourcing to report episodes of traffic jam, police blocks and accidents to other users. It allows for voice navigation meaning the driver does not have to pick up the phone, while driving, in order to update an occurrence. The road information is not only for navigation as motorists can be warned over street fairs and protests taking place thereby protecting them from angry mobs. When in a car chase by robbers for example, Waze app enables you to report the situation which is shared among all road users as well as police departments closest to your rescue.
Conclusion
Waze is community driven and very social which creates a favorable medium for motorists to work towards one common goal. It helps road users identify the easiest routes to reach their destination while also providing everyone with a chance to report any danger on the roads. It is definitely the new traffic and navigation app that is fitted with community edited maps to show all available routes. It also provides details about the nearest cheapest filling stations, thereby saving road users money and time.
Related ItemsWaze
