As a Waze dad, I like to think I make Britain’s roads run more smoothly. You can thank me later | Adrian Chiles

This navigation app is driven by the wisdom of crowds – and I’m delighted that my traffic updates play their part

I’m a type; a meme, even. I’m probably several, certainly in my daughters’ eyes. But I’m certainly this one: a Waze dad. I didn’t even realise there was such a thing until one of my daughters sent me an Instagram thing featuring a photograph, taken from the back seat, of a slightly pudgy middle-aged fellow at the wheel of a family car. It says: “I have a Waze dad. Speed check ahead? He’s reporting it. Car stopped in 0.3 miles? He’s updating it. Faster route that saves 2min? He’s taking it.”

Yes, that’s me. Tragic, really. Parts of it, anyway. For those who don’t know, Waze is a navigation app that tells you how to get to where you are going and which route to take, taking into account the traffic. It’s not the only app that does this, but it’s the only one that, it claims, relies on information its users input as they drive. It’s about the wisdom of crowds, you see – the collected wisdom of Waze dads like me. You can, of course, get the benefit of Waze wisdom without taking the trouble to report anything. But that makes you a taker, not a giver. That makes you most definitely not a true Waze dad.

Continue reading...