New Delhi: In what might make traffic jams a thing of the past, Airtel has introduced a voice based navigation system for its users in India. Meant exclusively for Airtel subscribers, this will allow users to get voice directions on their mobile handsets along with traffic updates and locations details of the nearest shopping motel, hotels, restaurants and other noted public places. Called SmartDrive, this will aid people in planning out the approximate time they need to reach their destination, especially for long trips or crucial get togethers.
Seems like a perfect solution to the old time traffic jams issues, but the idea looks a tad bit dicy on the outset. The way it will work is, that the data for the average traffic speed, distance and time taken to reach a destination will be based on the GPS data accumilated from similarly capable device on the same route. Though questions initially arise as how accurate, and how often would such data be available, but the current solution stands such. The only hope in this regard, is that Airtel connections are plenty to find around, so one would perhaps stand at getting a near about for the actual traffic situation. The added advantage however, would be that users can save their jounreys for later reference. This will help them thread the same route and save time travelling on it.
Users of Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, and Bangalore can avail this application from Airtel live. Plans are also in place to launch the same in Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad later this year. The applicable charges for usage of the applications will be as follows:
Search and Map viewer- Nil, Navigation (daily pack)- Rs 10 per day, Navigation (monthly pack)- Rs 99 per month, Live Traffic (daily pack)- Rs 3 per day, Live Traffic (monthly pack)- Rs 49 per month.
Though most mobile operating systems offer a free application, especially the google maps, but this one is known to be more accurate and updated. Also, as mentioned earlier, the voice guided operations should help while one keeps an eye for the road.
source:Dailybhaskar
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