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Colorado Launches a Traffic App That Makes Google Maps Look Obsolete

There are plenty of navigation apps out there, such as Waze and Google Maps, and they are often incredibly accurate, especially as they use several sources for the data they display to drivers.
The app comes with several layers, including Waze reports 8 photos
Photo: Google Play Store
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Waze, for instance, relies on crowdsourcing, a concept that involves the entire user community and therefore allows drivers themselves to flag certain road-related information, such as traffic jams, accidents, speed traps, and broken traffic lights, on the map, therefore letting others know about them in advance as they approach their location.

But the Colorado Department of Transportation thinks it can do even better, so their recently-launched COTrip Planner app comes with something no other traffic app currently has: real-time traffic information provided by the local authorities themselves.

The feature lineup includes all kinds of new-gen features, including real-time weather conditions, road maintenance information, camera images, live streaming audio, and even a truck mode.

Google Maps power the mapping data, but on the other hand, Colorado officials explain that their app is currently lacking step-by-step navigation. But this isn’t necessarily a problem, as such functionality is already in the works, and it could appear in a future update.

The good news is the COtrip app has been designed as an all-in-one solution for drivers, so it also includes layers displaying Waze reports, traffic incidents, the location of electronic signs, weather stations and warnings (as well as a radar too!), mile point locations, and even toll locations and information on use and pricing.

The app is available for both iPhone and Android, and right now, it doesn’t seem to come with support for Android Auto and CarPlay. As you could easily guess, it only covers routes and state highways in Colorado, so no information is displayed for county roads or city streets. At least, not for the time being, though Colorado officials seem to be very optimistic about the future of their app.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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