Waze app to be integrated into Apple CarPlay system
Drivers using iPhone-integrated dashboard system will be able to get navigation help on their cars’ built-in displays
Shoshanna Solomon was The Times of Israel's Startups and Business reporter
Waze, an Israeli navigation app sold to Google for over $1 billion, said on Tuesday its software will be one of the first navigation apps to be integrated with the Apple CarPlay platform, in a bid to cut traffic jams and make driving safer.
The integration of Waze with CarPlay will allow the millions of CarPlay users “the opportunity to seamlessly” use Waze features directly from their in-car display, Waze said in a statement.
Apple’s CarPlay, available on select cars, is aimed at making iPhone use in vehicles safer. CarPlay takes the actions users want to do with their iPhones while driving, and puts them on the car’s built-in display, where drivers can get directions, make calls, and send and receive messages, and listen to music while keeping their eyes on the road.
Users driving cars equipped with CarPlay will be able to download the Waze app and use its directions to get to their destinations. By connecting their iPhone to a CarPlay-supported system using a USB cable or a wireless connection, if available, drivers can search destinations, select a preferred route or report traffic issues.
The integration with Apple’s CarPlay “enables us to bring to life one of our users’ most requested integrations, giving them the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the Waze app on the larger Apple CarPlay display,” said Jens Baron, Waze Platform Strategy Lead at Waze in the statement.
“Whether it’s for checking traffic along your daily commute or traveling to someplace new, we know Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac drivers use Waze for navigation on a regular basis,” said John McFarland, director of Connected Ecosystems, General Motors. “Being able to offer the option to use Waze through Apple CarPlay on more than 50 models globally is another example of providing our customers with a meaningful way to bring their digital lives into the vehicle in a safe and simple manner.”
Waze for Apple CarPlay will be available in both the US and Israel starting Tuesday, the company said.
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