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Waze unveils government data exchange program

A new scheme dubbed 'Connected Citizens' will give real-time anonymized crowdsourced traffic data to government departments.
Written by Charlie Osborne, Contributing Writer
Screen Shot 2014-10-02 at 10.57.54
Credit: Waze

Waze has announced a data exchange program which aims to improve the accuracy of traffic reports and conditions.

The company, acquired by Google last year, will partner with local governments worldwide in a scheme called "Connected Citizens." The project will collect anonymized crowdsourced traffic data in real-time before handing the information over to government agencies -- and in return, governments will grant Waze information on public projects, construction plans and pre-planned events such as road closures or repairs.

As reported by The Next Web, the Connected Citizens program will launch with 10 partners, listed below:

  • The New York Police Department
  • Tel Aviv, Israel
  • Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • Barcelona, Spain and the Government of Catalonia
  • San Jose, Costa Rica
  • Boston
  • State of Florida
  • State of Utah
  • Los Angeles County

Waze offers a free GPS-based smartphone app which alerts users to changing traffic conditions by crowdsourcing data. The community-based app also aims to give drivers a heads-up to accidents and police activity, and can also suggest quicker and better routes for your trip home.

Speaking to the publication, Di-Ann Eisnor, head of Growth at Waze said data exchange will only include public alerts, and the firm will not share "anything beyond that, such as where individuals are located and who they are."

According to the company's Twitter feed, while five additional partnerships have been agreed upon, Waze is in talks with additional cities around the world.

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