MoRTH, IIT Madras, MapmyIndia to launch navigation app for road safety

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has partnered with IIT Madras and digital tech firm MapmyIndia to ink a deal for driver and road safety technologies in the nation. The three groups together rolled out a free-to-use navigation app for citizens that renders road safety alerts regarding forthcoming accident risks while on road. The navigation app service renders voice and visual alerts to drivers about forthcoming sharp curves, accident-prone zones, speed breakers and potholes, among other hazards. The initiative is a part of the road transport ministry's concept to reduce accidents and fatalities that happen due to road accidents in the nation. The navigation service app created by MapmyIndia, named ‘MOVE’ has bagged the government’s Aatmanirbhar App Innovation Challenge last year. The service can additionally be utilised by citizens and officials to register and broadcast accidents, dangerous areas, road and traffic problems on the map to help other users. The data will be reviewed by IIT Madras and MapmyIndia and will then be utilised by the government to enhance road conditions in future. Last month, the ministry officially accepted a data-driven road safety model made by researchers at IIT Madras with investment from the World Bank. More than 32 states and Union Territories will utilise the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) model made by the institute to assist in making the roads safer and improving emergency response. Image Source