The WAZE navigation program failed its mission when it came to directing motorists trying to get to Yerushalayim to attend the levaya of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L. Police during the afternoon hours began closing streets in the capital and later in the day closed approach roads to the city as well.
A motorist traveling from Tel Aviv to Yerushalayim at 19:00, well after roads were locked and bumper-to-bumper, WAZE signaled Tel Aviv motorists that they would be in Yerushalayim in 75 minutes, directing them to many of the roads that were already closed for hours.
WAZE users began signaling the closed roads but WAZE only showed mild delays. One seeking to reach Malchei Yisrael Street was told the road was almost clear when in fact it was lined with over 100,000 people.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Waze works by having users send in updates in real time that are linked to their location. If a street like Malchei Yisrael was closed there would be no cars using Waze on that street and hence no updates so it would think the street was clear. Their system obviously wasn’t designed for a situation like this where roads turned into complete parking lots.
Waze is only as effective as the amount of smart phones that Waze turned on. If 100,000 are walking or standing there without waze on, let alone without a smartphone; naturally it will show a clear road. If most of the travelers on the highway were not using waze, than of course it will show a clear road!