Will Waze Find its Way?

in Mobile Reviews by Gal Mor — February 24, 2010 at 6:23 am | 9 comments

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Waze has a navigation application for smartphones with a social value. This is the Israeli company’s edge over the competitors, some with advanced technologies and more significant funding.

Since I began using a smartphone, Waze has turned into one of the most useful applications for me. It’s available for iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile.

Apart from being a free software, the big advantage is that real time data about traffic jams and accidents feed the software and help it recalculate the driving directions – “Drivers’ Twitter”, or “Drivers’ Wikipedia” according to the founders.

Detecting jammed roads is done in two paths. By seeing many drivers moving slowly on a particular road, Waze understands that there’s a problem there. The second way is by reports (tweets?) that the drivers actively send out. This has an added value of socializing on the road, and not solely driving from one place to another.

Quality time in the car

Let’s expand on the social experience. Every car gets its emoticon of a car. It can be a smiling car or a weeping one. Seeing the cars roll on the map in real time gives the user a great live feeling. This view is both real but informal, and be quite addictive. This isn’t a futuristic Web 2.0 service that its necessity is doubted, but a real service for real drivers stuck in real annoying traffic jams. Waze’s CEO, Noam Bardin, said that the software can serve as an alternative to paid navigation services, and this looks real.

You can’t have the good without the bad, and Waze still has some things to improve. A mapping service based on users’ input has information about specific attractions that won’t be found elsewhere, but sometimes lacks the accuracy of traditional maps. Also in leading the driver from A to B, some glitches were found – suddenly the software couldn’t place the car on the map and disconnections from the satellites at critical moments.

Waze is very useful if you’re traveling on known routes and you care about the traffic – excellent for the daily commute. In Israel, where Waze was developed, inner city maps aren’t good enough. The interface, features and maps will surely improve. There’s a bigger wonder.

Business Model?

Sooner or later, the competitors will understand that social media will have an impact on driving habits. A recent research shows that one third of the drivers send text messages or connect to social media on the road. This technology can’t change this unsafe habit, but it can contribute to finding the fastest directions, reducing the time on the road.

The potential of social media for drivers isn’t limited to traffic updates. The masses that create road traffic can turn it into web traffic: reporting about dangerous drivers, sharing songs on the digital radio, getting acquainted with fellow drivers according to their license plate, promotional offers, reports on free parking spaces and lots more. Finding a date or selling your junk mobile can be done on the road, online.

Driving a car and especially commuting to work makes some drivers feel isolated. Social media can connect the lone driver to others, and help him unwind the pressure that he feels when stuck in traffic. Maybe this isn’t safe, but it might be healthy…

Google recently added a GPS feature to its maps. This fresh feature doens’t stream the direction to the driver but requires him to look through them. This might evolve soon, and together with Google Latitude, it might turn into a social network that brings drivers and pedestrians together.

So, how can Waze gain a competitive advantage before the big boys enter their field? On the internet, being first doesn’t necessarily bring a bright future. Patience and a good strategy are essential. One direction that Waze can follow is turning the traffic reports into something valuable. Waze already has a point system for active users. For example, they could translate these points into shopping coupons at gas stations.

Originally written in Hebrew in HolesInTheNet.

Translated by Yohay Elam.

Tags: android featured Google Latitude Google maps GPS mobile app smartphone symbian waze windows mobile