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Waze to Begin Warning Michigan Drivers When They Approach a Towing Truck

While most people use Waze to beat the crazy traffic in their cities, the Google-owned app can also come in handy when trying to get information on the road ahead. That's especially because it can warn of major hazards like accidents, vehicles stopped on the side, or fog.
Waze alert sent by HAAS system 1 photo
Photo: HAAS Alert
And this is why Michigan-based Eagle Towing has decided to upgrade its trucks with the HAAS Alert system, a new-generation feature that would alert drivers they’re approaching a location with an emergency vehicle stopped on the shoulder of the road.

More specifically, whenever someone running Waze is driving towards the point where a wrecker is towing a disabled vehicle, they should now see a warning right within the app to be notified they need to reduce the speed for safety reasons.

The alert is automatically sent to all drivers within a half-mile of the location, and it is activated when the flashing lights on the towing truck are turned on, all in an attempt to prevent accidents involving first responders and sometimes becoming fatal.

The only shortcoming is that Waze must be running in the car, though, on the other hand, the alert is delivered even if the navigation isn’t configured. In other words, as long as Waze is active on the mobile device or the car’s screen (via Android Auto or CarPlay), you should see the warning when you approach the location where the disabled vehicle receives assistance.

The HAAS Alert system can also work with other navigation apps and infotainment systems, as long as support for the technology is being added.

The service provides emergency responders with a cutting-edge safety enhancement in the field that gets right at the cause of most responder-involved collisions: driver attention. Safety Cloud's digital alerts serve as an ‘advance warning’ tool for responders to notify drivers that they're approaching an active incident in time for them to safely slow down and comply with Move Over laws. These alerts are delivered to drivers through navigation applications and in-dash systems like Waze that are used by millions of drivers and reduce the chances of a collision by as much as 90%,” the parent company explains on the official website.

The new system has already been installed on the 51 trucks operated by Eagle Towing in Michigan.
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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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