Technology

Thanks! Yes, you are correct, confirmation bias and availability heuristic did cloud my thinking. That said, there is data showing that Waze has changed traffic patterns (and an attempt by urban and transportation planners to combat those changes) as a result of directing drivers outside the streets intended for heavy use.

I also found this interesting qualitative study done on 50 Waze users showing Waze users “demonstrate behaviors and patterns which resemble those of technological dependency.”

“The majority of non-users of WAZE were likely to adopt the application after exposure to its benefits. The interface is also similar to a gaming interface that heightens consumers’ engagement. At the same time, these features generate concerns that use of the application promotes maladaptive driving patterns and creates distractions for drivers. …

Participants in the current study were asked whether using the application diminishes their sense of orientation on the road during their normal everyday functioning and driving on the road. Half of interviewees (25) recounted that when they use the application, they do not notice the road; they feel as if they are driving “without seeing” and they shift the responsibility for driving from themselves to the application. As a result, the use of WAZE app impairs normal functioning of taking responsibility of the driving.”

No study is perfect and this one certainly has some issues, but it does point to concerning patterns that those of us who live in impacted neighborhoods have witnessed.