It has been more than 10 years since the Smart Tunnel opened to public but yet, many are still unfamiliar with the underground maze. It doesn’t help that all navigation apps will lose signal in the tunnel causing a world of confusion and sometimes dangerous situations. This is where U Mobile and Waze come in to save the day!
U Mobile and Waze have teamed up to solve this recurring issue by installing Waze Beacons throughout the tunnel. The devices are Bluetooth-enabled hardware that will keep Waze connected for undisrupted navigation when traveling in the Smart Tunnel.
All Waze users have to do is turn on the Bluetooth connections on their phones so their navigation won’t be disrupted. Waze has also programmed their app to prompt drivers to switch on their Bluetooth for a seamless experience in the tunnel as well.
And no, you don’t have to be a U Mobile user to have access to the Waze Beacons. It doesn’t matter which Telco you are subscribed to, as long as the Bluetooth connection on your mobile devices are turned on, you will be able to leverage on the full features of Waze uninterrupted throughout the tunnel.
“With the Waze Beacons installed in the SMART Tunnel, our users’ travel experience will become smoother and more convenient as they will enjoy uninterrupted GPS navigation and are able to share real-time information that may translate to updates on traffic conditions and proposed directions,” says Mohd Noor Mohd Ali, Chief Operating Officer of SMART.
“Users will also be able to get updates on traffic jams, road closures or accidents that may have happened inside the tunnel and its surroundings, enhancing drivers’ safety as well.”
The collaboration between U Mobile and Waze is the first of its kind and the use of Waze Beacons in the Smart Tunnel makes it the first double-decker tunnel to be fitted with the technology. You can say that the Smart is the most advanced double-decker in that sense!
There isn’t a time in memory that doesn’t involve staring at cars. After discovering the excitement of watching Schumacher vs Hakkinen, Formula 1 became a major part of life. The love for cars and F1 ultimately led to a job with CAR Magazine. The untimely death of the magazine meant a hiatus from cars at lifestyle women’s magazine Marie Claire before another opportunity came knocking again.
