14 DAY TRIAL // waze, Inc., a leading provider of driver-generated maps and real-time road information, announced on Tuesday, June 30, that its application for Google's Android operating system had been launched in a public beta version. At the same time, the company also announced that its app could be downloaded directly from the Android Market. First offered in private alpha in San Francisco, the app is now available to all Android phone users across the US.
The company also stated that it had taken a community-based approach with its application, which allowed it to use driver-generated data in the creation of navigable road maps. At the same time, the approach also enables it to provide real-time information to consumers, as well as the optimal route to destination, not to mention information on road conditions, traffic updates, street closures, speed traps and more.
“The Android community was the first to receive access to waze alpha in the US. These users are forming the core of our community, and we now look forward to welcoming even more Android users into waze’s network of drivers, nationally,” said Noam Bardin, the company’s CEO. “By building a community of drivers on the road, we are able to provide the real-time road intelligence that helps commuters answer the every-day question, ‘Which way should I go today?’ We are excited to open our doors to all Android users and invite them into our community of drivers.”
The waze software solution runs on Android smartphones and, as users travel around the country, it automatically sends back GPS points. According to the company, this data is used to build and update the road grid, as well as driving directions, road changes, traffic flow, and more. Moreover, the app also uses aggregated driving speed data so as to show traffic jams and various changes in road conditions.
The company also stated that the info was collected passively, yet it also enables users to take an active role, and to report on different road conditions or map inaccuracies. The waze website allows for even more extensive map editing. Moreover, the company also plans to offer the waze map platform to developers so as to enhance it with more features, while also intending to make the application available for other mobile platforms in the near future.