Transport for London (TfL) is partnering with Waze to develop a real-time, crowd-sourced traffic information app.
The app will be free to use and will share information about problems on the road. As part of the deal, TfL will inform Waze about roadworks or closures for public events and will receive crowd-sourced traffic data in return.
As well as potentially helping drivers to avoid traffic jams, Waze said the information could help emergency responders to select the fastest routes.
Phil Young, from TfL, said: “We can not only ensure London’s road users have the information they need to plan their journeys but we can also draw in more data to help us manage London’s busy road network.”
Waze already has partnerships with local governments across North and South America as well as in parts of Europe and Australia but this is its first collaboration in the UK. It hopes that, if successful, other cities across the UK will follow London’s lead.
The app provides voice-guided GPS navigation and offers users the chance to report problems via their smartphone.
There is also an inbuilt check to stop people changing the route destination if the vehicle is in motion to discourage users from typing while driving.
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