South African company Swift Holdings says its mobile traffic warning application, SwiftGo, has already garnered huge support.
The company launched the application, which provides motorists with information about traffic congestion, last November. Liron Segev, CEO and founder of Swift Holdings, says it has already beaten the company's expectations.
Within two weeks, the company passed the 500-user mark, a target it had only initially expected to meet in February this year. As a consequence, says Segev, the company is now redefining its expectations. Currently, 600 people use the application.
SwiftGo is a BlackBerry application that is free to download and use. It functions by constantly sending information back to the base, which is then analysed. “It knows where everyone else is, and works out what other users are doing,” Segev says.
Segev explains that if, for example, a user should be doing 120km/h on the freeway, but slows to a stop, this information is analysed and transmitted to all the users to indicate that there is a problem on that stretch of road.
Traffic information is sent directly to a cellphone and is displayed on the phone's interactive map. At the point where traffic jams occur, users will see red car icons, warning them of jams.
Location specific
In addition, Segev says, users can submit information to the social application, warning of accidents and broken traffic lights. But user-submitted information is double-checked, and SwiftGo staff also load radio traffic reports onto the maps.
Because the program is location-based, the company is able to earn revenue through offering banner advertisements that are only relevant to where the motorist is. “It knows where I am, it's only relevant to my route,” explains Segev.
SwiftGo will also be expanded to allow its use on other mobile devices, says Segev. The company is developing the application for Nokia and Windows Mobile-based phones, such as the HTC, Android and iPhone. Phones require GPS, a data plan and cellular coverage.
Swift Holdings has been involved in the mobile world for the past nine years and provides SMS applications, Mobi sites and mobile applications.
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