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Good News for Waze Users as Navigation Now Working in More Tunnels

One of the biggest challenges for navigation apps these days is to continue working in areas without a cellular signal, pretty much because losing the connection means drivers would be left without guidance to reach their destinations.
Waze on CarPlay 7 photos
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Waze on CarPlayWaze on CarPlayWaze on CarPlayWaze on CarPlayWaze on CarPlayWaze on CarPlay
Developers out there are using different approaches to deal with this problem. For instance, Google Maps and other apps come with support for offline maps, which means that the navigation experience would continue even when the cellular signal is lost.

On the other hand, Waze has been working on pushing the whole thing to a completely new level using the so-called beacons. By sending a one-way signal to Bluetooth-enabled devices, the Waze beacons make it possible for devices to remain connected even in areas with no GPS signal, such as when driving underground.

By connecting to beacons, smartphones can therefore be provided with up-to-date navigation instructions and real-time traffic data.

And this week, the Google-owned company announced an expansion of this program, as it installed Waze Beacons in three more tunnels in Washington, DC.

They are located in the 3rd Street (I-395), 9th Street, and 12th Street tunnels under the National Mall, and the good news is that they also work with other navigation apps at absolutely no cost. Needless to say, the beacons help provide dedicated software with real-time traffic information, and one of the most important capabilities is the alerts of blocked lands or sudden slowdowns.

Waze has been working hard on expanding its network of beacons, but on the other hand, such an effort takes time – though it goes without saying the benefits are more than obvious and the company’s efforts on this front should also be supported by authorities worldwide.

In the meantime, using navigation software in tunnels or in other areas with spotty cellular reception is often a challenge, so fingers crossed for new-gen technology to become available in more parts of the world sooner rather than later.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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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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