Over time, Google Maps has become one of our favorite apps to get where we want to go . However, there are multiple alternatives that can end up giving us a better result, especially if we are driving.
One of them is called Waze , it was acquired precisely by Google in 2013 and since then it has a multitude of additional functions so that the directions to go from point A to point B are much more effective, efficient and trouble-free.
Much more than a navigation app
Waze is a community-based navigation and traffic app that was created as a social navigation tool for private cars. The dynamism is one of the keys of Waze for which its performance exceeds that of Google Maps if it is used while driving . Waze collects a huge amount of data from the people who use the application and uses it so that other drivers have all the information of interest about what is happening on the road.
Just by driving with the Waze application open on your device, you will be sharing information in real time that will be used to understand the state of traffic and the structure of the roads.
In this way, even indirectly, drivers feed each other information , as Waze processes the data and returns alerts about traffic, construction, police, accidents, road conditions and more, completely in real time.
It is a really useful application, since even if you know for sure how to go to your destination, it can still be useful to you. Firstly, because you will be helping other drivers just by driving with the Waze application open on the screen. Even if you’re not using it to scroll, leave it open. In addition, your arrival time is based on real-time traffic data and you will have a more accurate idea about the time you have left to reach your destination and along the way it can suggest route changes instantly to avoid traffic and save time .
Waze is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Waze currently supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the following in-car systems are no longer supported: SmartDeviceLink, MirrorLink, WebLink and AppRadio. Waze has been compatible with Android Auto almost since its inception. In Android Auto when you connect your mobile device to your vehicle via USB cable, Waze offers a more limited version of the app, focused on navigation.
You can currently navigate using search or voice commands, but you can’t update settings, add or change your saved places, send prompts via voice commands, or use social features like chatting with other wazers on the road, sharing your ride, or location etc
You can also use Waze directly on the car screen with Apple CarPlay . To do this, you need a compatible iOS device and a car that is compatible with CarPlay in one of the accepted regions, including Spain. In CarPlay mode, one half of the screen shows the map, while the other half displays things like driving directions, search options, audio controls, categories like fuel, coffee, and drive-thru.
