Waze is arguably one of the best navigation apps out there, considering that some of the information you can within the app find is also from other users. For electric vehicle drivers, you can now plan your route based on your need to charge your car.
Waze Adding EV Charging Stations
Gas stations have been indicated in most navigation apps since it has mostly been combustion-engined vehicles that use it the most. However, the number of people driving EVs is growing, along with the available EV charging stations in various locations.
With that being said, Waze has made it easier for electric vehicle drivers to find the nearest charging station or one that they'll pass through on their way. All drivers have to do is enter the plug type into Waze to find compatible EV charging stations along the route.
One of the problems with charging station information that can be found online is that they are sometimes incorrect or outdated, which can cause problems when the car is about to run out of juice and the driver can't use the designated charging station after all.
Waze can be more reliable in terms of information since local Map Editors contribute to the data that can be found on the app. The data is often reviewed and updated in real-time to make sure that they are accurate, as mentioned in Waze's blog post.
The feature has already been launched, but it's still not accessible to everyone. The company says that the feature will start rolling out globally in the coming weeks. This gives the app an edge since many car manufacturers are also starting to lean toward EVs.
Other Features You Might Like
Waze has a lot more features to offer its users. For one, drivers can use the app to avoid dangerous routes. An update of Waze back in December 2022 made it so that it can tell drivers which roads are high-risk so they can avoid them, as mentioned in The Verge.
When a driver's route is headed toward an accident-prone area, a pop-up notification will appear warning them of the road ahead. It's also hard to question its reliability seeing as the data is crowdsourced, meaning that they are a collection of reports from other drivers.
This can be a useful tool for people to safely travel to new places when they are not familiar with the area. Speaking of safety, Waze also has an audio-playing tool wherein users can link music streaming apps like Spotify and Pandora.
Within the app, drivers can simply tap on the music icon found in the upper-right corner and choose the app to play music. The streamlined method for opening a streaming app means that the driver will pay less attention to the device and more on the road.
Waze also partnered with Renault recently as it launched a version that's already built-in. Through the car display, Renault drivers can navigate through alerts, settings, preferences, as well as saved places.
