Early this summer, Google purchased Israeli based web map company Waze?for around a billion dollars. Let’s see how they’re getting along.
Today, they introduce their first integrations. Thanks to Waze users, you’ll now?know where?the accidents, construction jobs and road closures are?before you?bump into them the hard way. Waze maps will now have Google street views and satellite image. Don’t expect Google Maps to credit Waze users for?reporting every accident or incident, but what is expected is a larger audience of sorts. The Waze users can report these?incidents to Google Maps?in the following nations: United States, United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Germany, Ecuador, and Mexico, to name a few. To hear Google Map VP Brian McClendon, this merger brings the best of each other. Waze brings out the best of communication, Google Maps bring out the best of technology.
I think this a great start. I sure could of used this Waze/Google Map combo when I was in a multi-mile car back up. It wasn’t until later I learned it was a severe crash, in which multiple injuries occurred. So I applaud that part. My hope is that they get this service in more countries. From what I hear about traffic in India, they can really use this app. You can only get it on Android and Apple devices, but they’re a lot of people in that nation that have those. And shouldn’t Israel be in here? What do you think of the Google and Waze merger and is it off to a good start?