level crossings
I was wondering whether you have looked into using real time train information to inform the Waze journey planner.
This would be most relevant where there are level crossings, and would allow to reroute drivers when the crossing is about to go down.
I believe that currently, Waze only reroute drivers once the crossing has already gone down causing congestion rather than pre-emptively.
I’d be really interested to hear your thoughts on the subject and the feasibility of this.
Aurelie
shared this idea
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PL C commented
Waze currently alerts drivers when they are approaching a railroad/level crossing, which is great for safety but doesn't help with routing or traffic flow. I am proposing an evolution of this feature: integrating real-time, dynamic gate status to predict closures and optimize ETAs.
How it works:
Live Data Integration: Partner with regional rail infrastructure operators (e.g., Správa železnic) via APIs to track oncoming trains and crossing signals.
Crowdsourced Fallback (The "First Car" Principle): If direct signal data isn't available, Waze can use the community. When a Wazer's speed drops to 0 km/h precisely at a known level crossing segment, the app marks the crossing as "Closed."
Predictive ETA & Smart Rerouting: Over time, machine learning models can calculate the average closure duration for that specific crossing. If a driver is approaching a crossing that just closed, Waze can display a countdown timer or automatically calculate if rerouting to an underpass or bridge is faster.
Benefits:
Smoother Traffic: Prevents drivers from gridlocking local intersections while waiting for a train.
Eco-Friendly: Drivers can turn off their engines if they know a gate will be closed for a significant amount of time (e.g., 5+ minutes).
Driver Peace of Mind: Replaces the anxiety of an unknown delay with clear, actionable data.