Evaluating New Instrumentation and Control Technologies for Safety-Related features in Waze

Abstract:

Waze allows its users to search for emergency food resources, covid testing sites, and other essentials by entering keywords in the search bar of the iOS or Android app. In Waze Community Deploys Data To Aid The Global Fight Against COVID-19, an article written by Liane Yvkoff, a senior contributor to Forbes, users could type words such as corona, virus, covid, etc., to find the testing centers. For food distribution centers, they could type keywords, such as food pantries, food help, emergency food, etc., to find the locations. Additionally, to ensure better accuracy on Waze, information on coronavirus testing centers is provided only by governments or testing center operators. Waze’s new upgrades are being developed and distributed to the public during the pandemic by more collaborations in working with the editors of Waze. This in turn would allow more people to search for the nearest covid testing sites and places to get emergency food supplies much faster.

Introduction:

Waze is a community-driven map application that was developed by an Israeli company in 2006 which Google obtained in 2013. The idea of this app was to save drivers time by developing accurate maps with instant updates. Since Waze collects data from many different users and uses that data to assist an individual’s trip experience, this provides the most comfortable route that is free of nuisances and road hazards. In Waze: The Pros and Cons, written by Vanessa Page, an author for Investopedia, Waze collects data from its users by using the speeds calculated by GPS signals, which could either be submitted manually or automatically as people travel (Paragraph 1). At the same time, drivers can report speed traps, traffic jams, and other road conditions that could hinder the flow of traffic. In other words, Waze’s process cycle has developed positive network effects: more users provide better data, establishing better maps which attracts new users to determine their location as they are traveling. Additionally, during the pandemic, not everyone could find accurate information to where to go to the vaccine/testing site for COVID-19, pick up emergency food supplies, and other necessary items. This application could be better improved so that it benefits everyone during the pandemic. Since Waze’s significant feature is its community user base, I believe that if more people other than current users provide more location details such as governments providing important announcements, it could help others find the nearest place to get whatever necessities people need to last through the pandemic.

Method:

Currently, Waze uses the data submitted both automatically by using speeds determined by GPS signals and can be manually entered on the app. This determines the shortest route to take to reach your destination quicker after collecting information on any road hazards or delays present. Users could also report speed traps, accidents, and other things that could slow down drivers. This is mostly the main reason why people prefer Waze because it provides updated directions, road conditions and other driver information based on its real-time satellite and community-user based reporting data. Furthermore, I believe that by more users collaborate with other people, (governments, map editors, and other GPS companies), this could provide better data on where to find important supplies during the pandemic. According to Forbes, Yvkoff included a response that Dani Simons, head of public partnerships for Waze, stated on how accurate data is provided for Waze. The response was to “ensure accuracy, information on coronavirus testing centers is provided only by governments or testing center operators, according to Dani Simons, head of public partnerships for Waze” (Yvkoff, Paragraph 4). This demonstrates why I believe that Waze could be improved for people to have access to research medical and other important necessities if more people could work together in uploading any new updates.

Results:

This image of a chart is from Waze’s site that the author, Paul Sawers, used for his article on Venturebeat.com called Waze Reports 60% Drop in Miles Driven Globally during Pandemic. This chart illustrates how many people are not driving more in the United States during the pandemic with the lockdowns in place. In this article, Sawers stated that ever since the pandemic, there was almost an eighty percent decrease in driving from most European countries. In the United States, there was about a sixty-seven decrease in driving ever since the lockdowns were installed. However, frontline workers still need to get to their jobs on time so they could help others provide whatever necessary supplies families need to get through the pandemic. This article talked about Waze installing “a number of new tools and features built with the COVID-19 crisis in mind. This includes surfacing places that support drive-through or curbside pickup orders” (Sawers, Paragraph 5). Only by working with others, map editors and local authorities could help provide whatever tools and important updates to Waze so many users could come with a plan for how to get to their destination much faster. At the same time, this could increase the percentage of driving by up to five percent and would make many people to rely on Waze more since it gives instant updates of what is happening with streets and roads lately.

Discussion:

During the COVID pandemic so far, people are looking for testing sites, places to get the vaccine, and to get emergency food supplies by looking online. Waze is very reliable during this time for many people because of its community user base where people could get instant updates. This allows people to hear important announcements instantly from other users. An example of this is how Waze how provides its emergency food listings to the public. According to an article from Fast Company called If You’re Still Driving, Waze Wants to Help You Deal with the Pandemic, written by Jared Newman, Waze is working with Why Hunger and No Kid Hungry in providing emergency food site listings so that it connects families with free meals for their children. In other words, if more users provide better data, this establishes better maps which attracts new users to determine their location as they are traveling. Additionally, if more data is provided to Waze by other than the current users, it would help them locate what they seek during the pandemic. At the same time, it could increase driving percentages by up to five percent until the pandemic is over and many more people would drive again. Hopefully in the near future, Waze would also work with social media companies such as Facebook in providing important updates and announcements so that more people could not only rely on Waze more, but to also find out what they need to get through this difficult time.

References:

Newman, Jared. “If You’re Still Driving, Waze Wants to Help You Deal with the Pandemic.” Fast Company, Fast Company, 15 Apr. 2020, www.fastcompany.com/90489513/waze-coronavirus.

Page, Vanessa. “Waze: The Pros and Cons.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 28 Aug. 2020, www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/060415/pros-cons-waze.asp.

Sawers, Paul. “Waze Reports 60% Drop in Miles Driven Globally during Pandemic.” VentureBeat, VentureBeat, 15 Apr. 2020, venturebeat.com/2020/04/15/waze-reports-60-drop-in-miles-driven-globally-during-pandemic/.

Yvkoff, Liane. “Waze Community Deploys Data To Aid The Global Fight Against COVID-19.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 15 Apr. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/lianeyvkoff/2020/04/15/waze-community-joins-the-global-fight-against-covid-19/?sh=3790cbc061fe.