Google's GPS driving app Waze is making an impact internationally for travelers driving in a foreign country. Many have not heard of or do not know what Waze is, however, have probably encountered this GPS app in a taxi cab or an Uber before. Waze is a very intelligent app giving the driver live traffic updates and finding the best route possible to get to the destination. There are preferences on the app as well like preference of back roads or toll booths. Waze is now enhancing drivers' experience in foreign countries with the new speed alert feature. The app now has a speedometer on the bottom left of the screen that will warn you if you are over the speed limit. Not only will this new technology for this app help a driver in their own country be alert with audio warnings, but more importantly for someone in a foreign country who cannot translate KM/HR to MPH, for example. As of the launch date, this new technology for Waze will only be available in sixteen countries, excluding the United States. However, Google expects a global release of this feature soon.
Even though this is a huge breakthrough for Google, this is not revolutionary in the market of GPS. Garmin and Magellan also have visual warnings for drivers on their apps. However, in my opinion and research it seems to me like Waze is still ahead of the game for GPS. The features on Waze are not only helpful for the driver but also other drivers around them in terms of safety. The only people I can think that would be leaning towards not in favor of these new features would be police officers trying to get their daily speeding ticket at a sweet spot on an open highway. Also, one feature this article does not discuss enough is the feature warning drivers of police cars up ahead. With that said, the market for this new technology could see a big bonus in consumer demand. A costumer with a laundry list of speeding tickets could fall head over heels with this product. To think a decade ago a GPS system that could help you navigate the roads was renowned. Technology for GPS is improving each year and Waze is an example of just how far this technology has come to help drivers as much as possible.
Source:
http://www.hngn.com/articles/193674/20160330/google-waze-app-will-help-avoid-speeding-tickets-outside-us.htm
Additional source:
http://www.techradar.com/news/car-tech/waze-s-latest-update-challenges-heavy-footed-drivers-with-speed-warnings-1317976
I was remotely surprised to see Google develop their GPS driving app Waze, as I thought many GPS’s on the market have long told their users their traveling speed. Nonetheless, I suppose this technology could be useful for foreign drivers, on vacation for example, who aren’t familiar with the driving metrics of their host country. In terms of Waze in developing countries, I don’t believe this app will be extraordinarily effective, especially when compared to other GPS systems that have long existed. Many people in developing countries do not obey traffic laws, as can become the norm as driving enforcement is lax. Thus, these potential consumers may not care for the speed tracking feature. More concerning however, when this app becomes global, is the implications it could have for law enforcement. What if the US (or any other) government could gain access to the data base that tracks this information? Would they be able to issue tickets and violations to vehicles speeding in accordance to the GPS? To me, this is an unnecessary technology that could just set bad precedent and cause trouble in the future.
ReplyDeleteI found this blog to be very interesting. I had never heard about this Waze app before reading this. I, like you, feel that this could be very beneficial for a lot of its users. For example, if someone is in a foreign country, this app will help people who are not familiar with the roads and routes to get to the place that they need to be. In addition, this could help reduce the number of people getting speeding tickets since the app warns people if they are over the speed limit. In addition, the Waze app is able to report about live traffic. This is very beneficial because this enables people to find a better route in order to avoid any traffic that could prevent them from being on time. Overall, I think this app would be very beneficial in a few different ways.
ReplyDeleteI was very interested to read that Google has obtained Waze and learn more about the features of the app. Google purchased the company for over 900 million dollars, which surprised me due to the fact that google already has a GPS feature in google maps. However, I also agree that the features on this app may help separate the GPS from other apps. For example, I read that besides the speedometer feature, Waze bases their maps off of the knowledge of others. This provides up to date routes surrounding traffic and road work. The features on Waze are really helpful, and I also believe that it will be very beneficial for drivers. One concern I have is that Waze is facing competition from major companies in the GPS industry. For this reason, I believe that Waze should focus on advertising all of the features that separates the company from the others. Through heavy marketing, Waze may become a leader in the industry.
ReplyDeletehttps://blog.joemanna.com/waze-social-driving/