November/December Issue 64 - Flipbook - Page 23
NEWS
NEW ASSOCIATE MEMBER what3words: A SIMPLE WAY TO SHARE PRECISE
LOCATIONS
what3words, the simple way to
communicate precise locations,
has joined AVRO as an
associate member. More than
85% of the UK’s Emergency
Services are set up to use and
accept what3words addresses
to locate 999 callers faster and
more easily.
The system has divided the entire
globe into 3 metre squares and
given each one a unique three
word identifier: a what3words
address. For example, ///kite.
chats.dine will take you to a
precise spot in a field next to the
River Ouse in York.
what3words is available as a free
app for iOS and Android, and
online at map.what3words.com.
The rapid adoption of what3words
by emergency services - both here
in the UK and in the US, Canada,
Australia and Germany - has led to
a rise in the number of breakdown
companies using what3words to
find their customers, abandoned
vehicles and roadside incidents.
In the UK, drivers who break down
in an unfamiliar location can now
use the free what3words app to
tell the AA, Call Assist, National
Breakdown and LV exactly where
they are.
what3words is now another
‘tool in the toolbox’ to help these
organisations find customers.
Edmund King, AA president, said:
“Breaking down in an unfamiliar
location can be a daunting
experience for anyone. This
simple solution helps drivers to
identify where they are - and helps
us find them even faster.
“By using the latest technology
we are continuing to enhance our
services. Using three everyday
words might seem strange but is a
smart way to get you back on the
road.”
Infrastructure organisations are
also beginning to train their road
fleet teams to use what3words in
the event of a breakdown.
Network Rail, consisting of
over 9,000 fleet vehicles, forcepushed the free what3words
app to over 36,000 members of
its workforce, enabling them to
request breakdown assistance
more easily from their corporate
breakdown partners.
“In the event of a breakdown,
drivers will hopefully feel safer
knowing that the recovery
service can locate them quickly,
even when working in remote or
unfamiliar locations,” said Austin
Paul,
Business Manager of
Network RailRoad Fleet.
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