New app to help avoid traffic congestion

Darb, an app, will use traffic and navigation data to help motorists have a stress-free drive and avoid road accidents.
The new application, downloaded by 1,00,000 people in its first phase, is expected to reduce traffic congestion and inform users about available routes to reach the desired destinations faster.
It will provide users with renewable updated real-time information. "This will help reduce stress so drivers can be ready for any changes on the streets," said the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport or DMAT which has signed a memorandum of understanding with Toyota Tsusho Asia Pacific and Inrix, to expand their partnership. Technology firms will be provided with transport and navigation data about the road conditions, congestion, accidents and real-time information about parking bays on multi-level storey buildings.
The second phase, which is currently on, includes traffic information dissemination of congestion, accidents and real-time information of parking bays on multi-storey buildings and provide them to navigation systems in vehicles.
The app will help increase the level of road safety as the public will be notified of the congestion, accidents and weather conditions.
Providing the information on a navigation platform in cars will limit the use of mobile phones while driving which is considered the main cause of accidents.
There is some traffic information that the current traffic information system does not include. Therefore, Dmat will be provided with such information using their GPS systems.
"Such collaboration aids the government's strategy that supports the cooperation and partnership with the private sector which serves the public and improves the level of road safety," said Salah Al Marzouqi, director for integrated intelligent transportation system division at Dmat.
The department has accomplished the implementation of the first phase of the Transport Information and Navigation System project, he said.
haseeb@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi

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