Verizon's VZ Navigator to offer Traffic Avoidance

Verizon Wireless and Networks In Motion (NIM) today announced an update to their popular VZ Navigator service, coming in April. The new "version 4" will allow customers in 75 cities to access information about traffic incidents, updates, congestions and find detours around them. Routes will be calculated using both historical and real-time traffic data. The historical information will allow customers to see on average whether the vehicle movement is impacted by traffic lights, heavy traffic or school zones. VZ Navigator’s historical data covers over 750,000 miles of roads in 48 states across the nation, making travel time estimates more accurate. The incident and flow information will tell customers how traffic is flowing, and will include details about reported accidents, disabled vehicles and congestion. NIM’s Traffic Tracking Center continually monitors conditions along the customers’ routes, sending proactive alerts to drivers about conditions ahead of them on their chosen routes. Detour options allow for comparison of ETA and conditions, before selecting a new route. Traffic information is powered by NAVTEQ Traffic

In addition, VZ Navigator will offer a 3D perspective view (enhances navigation by displaying maps from angles customers would see through car windshields), a movie and events finder (for show times, critics’ ratings and other details for movies, concerts, plays, sporting events and other social events), weather reports and forecasts (current weather conditions and forecasts based on the location of the phone) , and local gas prices (location near by gas stations and prices).

Pricing for the new version of VZ Navigator will remain the same ($9.99/month subscription or $2.99/one day use)

Available locations:

source: Verizon Wireless