Waze’s latest feature focuses on safety and will give you the knowledge you need to make an informed decision about the route you’re taking. The Google-owned navigation app has launched accident history alerts, which will send you a notification if you drive on an accident-prone road. Waze will post a message saying "accident history" in the app before reaching, say, a curve that is particularly difficult to navigate. That way, you can slow down or watch for anything that could derail your vehicle.
The app decides whether to show you a notification based on reports from the Waze community and an ai analysis of your route, such as its traffic levels, its elevation, and whether it’s a highway or a smaller local road. It won’t show you accident alerts for routes you usually take to minimize distractions, suggesting its primary purpose is to alert you if you should drive more cautiously than usual in unfamiliar places.
Waze has released several protection features aimed at keeping you safe on the route you plan to take over the years. A few years ago, it started sending real-time accident data so it can take an alternate route if necessary and first responders can reach accident sites sooner. In 2020, it also implemented wayfinding cues that tell you to be in the right place for an upcoming merge or exit before you get there.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/waze-will-now-warn-you-if-a-road-has-a-history-of-crashes-130011100.html?src=rss
