GPS navigation service Sygic is currently rolling out a new feature dubbed as “Predictive Routing”, and it is now available for free to more than 250 million users around the world. Sygic claims that the new feature of its mobile application will result in shorter travel times and more accurate estimated arrival times. The navigation service uses historical data of average vehicle speeds that was gathered in a span of two years, rather than simply using the speed limits of each road. This data is then used in conjunction with other pieces of information, including the location of traffic lights and roundabouts as well as the time of the day, to determine all the possible routes and choose which path offers the shortest travel time. Aside from determining the fastest route, the algorithm used by Sygic will also offer other alternative routes that people can choose from.
Sygic further noted that the method utilized by its navigation system will allow its mobile application to identify the fastest way to the user’s destination even without internet connection. In contrast, competing solutions that utilize real-time traffic data could only show lists of possible routes once the systems are disconnected from the internet. To take advantage of the new feature, users are advised to update their applications to version 17.4 or higher. Once the applications are updated, people should then obtain the latest road information by updating the maps used by the Sygic app.
This new feature adds to the list of enhancements that the GPS navigation service has added to its mobile application. In the last few years, Sygic introduced offline maps to its app, and it has also designed the interface of its mobile application to make it more user-friendly. Recently, the tech firm has also added new features including the Real View Navigation functionality, which uses augmented reality (AR) to aid users in navigating through an unknown location. People only need to scan their surroundings using their mobile devices, and the app will then add navigation elements using AR. The tech firm also serves as a provider of app navigation services to a number of partner businesses, which include the smartphone manufacturer Huawei and the automobile maker Ford.