Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
As I learned the hard way, finding a worthy alternative to Waze is impossible. The crowdsourcing engine that powers its traffic reports and routing model is irreplaceable and impossible to copy even by large tech firms.
NUNAV Navigation is a navigation app whose main role is to help drivers deal with heavy traffic. Just like Waze, it’s specifically focused on finding the fastest route to a destination and avoiding traffic jams.
It doesn’t sport the advanced traffic reporting system bundled with Waze, but NUNAV uses a concept called “collaborative routing” specifically to provide drivers with better routes. The company guarantees that every driver is offered an individual route, so the system always finds the fastest way to a provided address.
NUNAV is now available on CarPlay too. An update that went live a few weeks ago brought the new feature to the first users, while a February release completed the rollout of CarPlay support.
Apple CarPlay allows the mobile UI to be mirrored on compatible media receivers installed in cars. Applications like Google Maps, Apple Maps, Spotify, and others can run on the larger display in the cabin, and drivers can interact with them through direct input or voice commands.
NUNAV brings its essential feature package to CarPlay, so drivers can set up routes and then get guidance on the head unit.
The big catch is that the NUNAV availability continues to be limited. Its routing system is exclusive to Belgium, Germany, France, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. Expanding the availability is perhaps critical for its long-term adoption, but bringing the app to more regions is expensive and can't happen overnight.
NUNAV isn’t as feature-rich as Waze and Google Maps, but it certainly doesn't disappoint. Users can configure 3D or 2D display modes for routes, enable voice guidance, mark parking lots on the map, and show traffic lights at intersections.
On the other hand, there’s still room for improvement. NUNAV is currently lacking critical navigation settings, including support for disabling toll roads, satellite maps, and offline navigation. What sets it apart from the rest of the crowd is the advanced search engine.
When setting up the navigation, users can provide not only an address, but also places, events, contacts, and even calendar entries. NUNAV can look precisely to a related location and then calculate the fastest route.
The parent company promises to keep the experience ad-free and requires no registration. Furthermore, the application is getting an increased focus on eco-friendly routing, as the generated routes are also supposed to help reduce CO2 emissions.
Google Maps offers a similar mode, as the navigation app can now look not only for the fastest route to the provided destination but also for an alternative allowing for a reduced carbon footprint.
It doesn’t sport the advanced traffic reporting system bundled with Waze, but NUNAV uses a concept called “collaborative routing” specifically to provide drivers with better routes. The company guarantees that every driver is offered an individual route, so the system always finds the fastest way to a provided address.
NUNAV is now available on CarPlay too. An update that went live a few weeks ago brought the new feature to the first users, while a February release completed the rollout of CarPlay support.
Apple CarPlay allows the mobile UI to be mirrored on compatible media receivers installed in cars. Applications like Google Maps, Apple Maps, Spotify, and others can run on the larger display in the cabin, and drivers can interact with them through direct input or voice commands.
NUNAV brings its essential feature package to CarPlay, so drivers can set up routes and then get guidance on the head unit.
The big catch is that the NUNAV availability continues to be limited. Its routing system is exclusive to Belgium, Germany, France, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. Expanding the availability is perhaps critical for its long-term adoption, but bringing the app to more regions is expensive and can't happen overnight.
NUNAV isn’t as feature-rich as Waze and Google Maps, but it certainly doesn't disappoint. Users can configure 3D or 2D display modes for routes, enable voice guidance, mark parking lots on the map, and show traffic lights at intersections.
On the other hand, there’s still room for improvement. NUNAV is currently lacking critical navigation settings, including support for disabling toll roads, satellite maps, and offline navigation. What sets it apart from the rest of the crowd is the advanced search engine.
When setting up the navigation, users can provide not only an address, but also places, events, contacts, and even calendar entries. NUNAV can look precisely to a related location and then calculate the fastest route.
The parent company promises to keep the experience ad-free and requires no registration. Furthermore, the application is getting an increased focus on eco-friendly routing, as the generated routes are also supposed to help reduce CO2 emissions.
Google Maps offers a similar mode, as the navigation app can now look not only for the fastest route to the provided destination but also for an alternative allowing for a reduced carbon footprint.
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