Hugo LUC / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
OLATHE, Kansas – Garmin and Waze have introduced a feature that lets participating cyclists share their live location with nearby drivers using the Waze navigation app.
Riders with a compatible Garmin Edge bike computer or Garmin smartwatch can opt in through Garmin Connect when they start an outdoor cycling activity. Waze then shows a nearby participating cyclist as an active, moving icon on the road, according to Garmin’s announcement Tuesday.
The feature depends on the rider choosing to share. It does not make every cyclist visible in Waze. A compatible smartphone and the Garmin Connect app are also required.
Location sharing is temporary and tied to each riding session. Garmin said a cyclist’s personal information will not be shared or displayed in Waze.
The connection uses Garmin’s LiveTrack feature, which is free for users with a compatible bike computer or smartwatch. LiveTrack already lets riders share their real-time location, speed and planned course with family and friends. The Waze collaboration extends location awareness to drivers nearby.
For a driver, the new information is a heads-up that a participating cyclist is on the road ahead. For a rider, it is another way to make their location known without appearing by name in the navigation app.
Garmin and Waze describe the collaboration as an industry first. Garmin’s release says Waze is used by 200 million drivers worldwide.
The companies said the alerts are intended to improve awareness between riders and motorists.
JBizNews Desk | Technology
© JBizNews.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution is strictly prohibited.
