Google Maps Rival Announces a New Navigation App

TomTom has long been focused on building more advanced mobile navigation apps after dominating this space in the GPS navigator and automotive sectors.

However, AmiGO, a free TomTom app whose purpose was to help expand its presence in this market, has never gained traction, so the company decided to rethink its strategy and come up with another approach.

AmiGO is “the new TomTom app,” the company announced recently, explaining that it consolidated its efforts into one product “designed exclusively for drivers.” You can already tell what it means just by reading these words.

Like Waze, TomTom’s new navigation app only offers driving support, so you won’t see cycling or walking directions in this app.

TomTom’s new mobile app includes must-have features, such as real-time traffic info, speed camera alerts, speed limit information, lane assistance, and warnings about potential traffic hazards, such as road closures and accidents.

TomTom allows users to choose between multiple route types, beginning with the fastest and ending with the most efficient. A shortest route option is also offered.

The approach is similar to Google’s. Google Maps offered the fastest route by default, but the company is betting bigger on fuel-efficient routes. Compared to the fastest routes, the fuel-efficient alternatives are supposed to help reduce fuel consumption and emissions by suggesting routes with less traffic and road inclines.

TomTom also promises community-powered reports for hazards and speed traps, competing against Waze. The main selling point of Google’s Waze is the large community that contributes traffic data, as users report hazards like accidents, speed traps, broken traffic lights, and traffic jams.

TomTom hopes its community will help the app grow bigger, so users who install the app are encouraged to send traffic reports and help everybody else running the app.

The new application also includes a large database of POIs, but this isn’t necessarily surprising. TomTom has long been a leader in this space, and its navigation software is integrated into the driving experience of many brands, offering a large collection of rest stops, gas stations, and other services. It’s not exactly Google Maps, but it’s one of the best POI databases available today.

TomTom’s application is free of charge and can be installed on Android and iPhone. The application also supports CarPlay, so once you install it on your iPhone, you’ll get all these features on the infotainment screen. The parent company also promises a privacy-conscious approach, as “your data stays private.” TomTom says it will never show ads or track you as you use the app.

Time will tell if TomTom’s new navigation app grows bigger and addresses the missing features, but right now, it looks like a promising tool that could one day become a top choice in this space. Give it a try and let me know what you think in the box after the jump.