Every driver knows that unpleasant moment when fast traffic on the highway suddenly stops around the next bend, and the brakes are pressed to the limit. To prevent precisely these critical situations, the popular navigation application Waze has launched the full-scale implementation of an entirely new safety module. It is the warning function for sudden traffic slowdowns, which after extensive testing is now being used widely by Android, iOS, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay users.
While the familiar display of traffic jams in red relied mainly on the driver's constant gaze at the screen, the new development relies on a more intelligent approach. The system displays a timely warning on the car's central display, accompanied by a counter that shows the exact distance to the queue of cars. This gives drivers valuable seconds to slow down smoothly and avoid risky chain collisions.
The technology works fully automatically, monitoring in real time the sharp drop in speed of cars in a given area. In case you prefer a cleaner screen without additional pop-ups, the function can be easily turned off. To do this, you need to enter the “Settings“ menu, go through “Alerts and reports“, then “Reports“ and deactivate the “Sudden slowdown“ option (Settings > Alerts and reports > Reports > Sudden slowdown). All changes made via the smartphone are immediately applied to the screen in the car.
The update is gradually being rolled out to all users. To use the new option, you just need to install the latest version of the application from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The move is part of the company's larger strategy to improve road safety, which recently added notifications for speed limit changes and lane-restriction warnings.
The new features once again dispel rumors that Waze might be phased out in favor of Google Maps. Although both apps are owned by the same tech giant, they have very different purposes. While Google Maps has evolved into a travel guide and city guide, Waze remains focused entirely on specialized car navigation. While Google continues to use some of Waze's data in its main map, Waze continues to offer a much more detailed early warning system for road hazards.