GPS navigation in SMART Tunnel now possible with Waze Beacons

U Mobile, Waze and SMART Tunnel have jointly announced that Waze Beacons are now available in the SMART Tunnel. This would allow drivers to get undisrupted navigation while driving underground.

According to U Mobile, they are the first telco to power uninterrupted GPS navigation in the tunnel and this feature will benefit all mobile device including non-U Mobile users. The implementation in SMART Tunnel is the first double-decker tunnel in the world to be fitted with Waze Beacons. It is expected to benefit 30,000 commuters that use the tunnel daily.

Waze Beacons are small devices that solve GPS signal blackouts in situations where there’s no clear light of sight to the sky. The low-energy beacons are Bluetooth-enabled and users would just need to ensure that their Bluetooth is enabled on their phones to enjoy seamless navigation.

A total of 240 beacons have been installed along the 5.2KM road tunnel. U Mobile CMO Jasmine Lee has shared that the beacons were installed just right before the Movement Control Order came into effect. In terms of data connectivity, the dual-purpose tunnel has 4G coverage since 2018.

Prior to this, Waze had announced in March that Malaysia is the first Southeast Asian country to get Waze Beacons. The first batch of beacons were installed across TRX’s basement roads that lead to car parks within the development. According to Waze, the beacons would also benefit other navigation services such as Google Maps and the feature is offered free of charge. Just ensure that your phone and tablet has Bluetooth turned on.

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