Waze
Waze (weɪz) is a GPS navigation app started in 2006 in Israel under the name FreeMap Israel. Waze is community-driven, but the data is copyright-protected - we are therefore not allowed to use data from Waze for OSM mapping.
Waze has been a subsidiary of Google since 2013.
How Waze Works
Waze is described as being a community-driven navigation app and is free to download and use.
Wazers
Users are often referred to as Wazers[1] and they are able to submit reports on different issues while driving including but not limited to:
- Traffic issues
- Police
- Accidents
- Hazards on the road
- Fuel prices
- Road closures
These reports are shared live with other users around them which can assist in improving other user routes.
Map Editors
Like OSM, Waze is updated by a large team of community editors all around the world. Editors earn points to rank up their levels allowing them access to more tools and restricted content[2].
While most of the content loaded into the app is sourced from the community editors, Waze does have a strict policy surrounding the copyright of their content which prohibits it being used outside of the app, meaning it can't be used as a source for OSM.
Each country has its own community of editors which are generally run by a Country Manager (CM) with State Managers (SM), Area Managers (AM), and map editors.
Editors also have the ability to load longer term road closures across multiple road segments, allowing for more accurate routing for the end user taking these into account.
Generally places and greenery aren't added to the app but Waze does allow searching for places via its Google integration, and editors can add places if they choose to but it's not a priority and is often ignored.
App Integrations
Waze started offering app integrations in 2017 which included the ability to link your Spotify account[3] which would show a small media player in the app while driving. In 2018 a list of other music providers were added the the Waze Audio Player[4].
Difference between Waze and Google Maps
The largest difference between Waze and Google Maps is that Google Maps is feature rich with map information and options for routes via car, public transport, walking, and cycling, while Waze is specifically dedicated to getting you to your destination in the most efficient way possible in your vehicle. Because of this, Google Maps will hint at different routes while driving, where Waze will update your route in real time if it finds a better option, sometimes resulting in directing you down back roads at times[5].
Both apps do however share data between each other, especially around road closures and traffic patterns.
External Links
References
- ↑ https://wazeopedia.waze.com/wiki/Global/Glossary#Wazer
- ↑ https://wazeopedia.waze.com/wiki/Global/Your_Rank_and_Points
- ↑ https://community.spotify.com/t5/Community-Blog/Spotify-Waze-Partnership/ba-p/1610690
- ↑ https://medium.com/waze/waze-audio-player-629cd630333f
- ↑ https://wazeopedia.waze.com/wiki/Global/Routing_server