Is Google betting $1bn that you’ll use your phone while driving?
The tech world was lit up yesterday by Google’s $1 billion (with a b!) purchase of an Israeli app company called Waze.
Never heard of them? I hadn’t either. But what the company does is run a phone application that is supposed to save you time on your driving trips. What it does is combine GPS map information with real-time updates by users.
Think of Waze as the “wisdom of crowds” meets digital maps. “Join
other drivers in your area who share real-time traffic and road info,
saving everyone time and gas money on their daily commute,” Waze says
on its website. The goal? “To outsmart traffic and get everyone the
best route to work and back, every day.” Waze users receive mobile
alerts about traffic hazards based on their location Time Magazine.