Few drivers are aware of the new rules that GPS applications such as Waze and Google Maps must apply for two years now.
The Waze, Maps and Google Maps applications have transformed the lives of many lost motorists. Very useful for finding your way and reaching a precise address, these GPS serve as real guides, even for finding the right route after a mistake, by recalculating the correct route. A valuable aid for those who were previously accustomed to finding their way using a road map. But these apps do much more than that: they can estimate the time needed to get from point A to point B, taking into account traffic jams and possible accidents. Thus, by offering the shortest and fastest journey, notably avoiding the most congested roads, Google Maps attracts a billion users each month in more than 200 countries, while Waze has 140 million users per month in nearly from 185 countries, including 14 million in France, according to figures from Google in 2019 and the Frandroid site in 2020.
However, since the publication of Decree No. 2022-1119 published on August 5, 2022, new rules are in force, and few motorists are aware of them. From now on, these GPS can no longer offer the shortest routes by default. Have you noticed it? After following a route suggested by Waze, you sometimes realize that the usual path would have been faster and less crowded.
Recently, several municipalities have complained about the influx of motorists blindly following their GPS, thinking of saving a few minutes. Result: certain villages, such as Saint-Montan in Ardèche, are invaded by tourists during weekends and school holidays.
Indeed, since the publication of this decree, it is the most environmentally friendly routes that are favored on users’ screens. For example, when a journey involves a section of highway at 110 km/h or more, an alternative is offered. CO2 consumption is also displayed according to the chosen routes. Before hitting the road, it is therefore advisable to compare routes to choose the one that suits you best.