Can a Car Navigator Really Predict Accidents?
Waze is one of the most popular driving apps in North America, and videos online often spark questions about its predictive capabilities. In the clip discussed here, a white pickup truck pulls up beside a FedEx truck right in front of the camera. The pickup driver has his turn signal on and tries to move into the middle lane.
Soon after, the navigator alerts the dash cam owner that an accident will occur. Just a sliver of a moment later, the pickup collides with the back of the FedEx vehicle.
What seems like a startling forecast quickly reveals itself as a matter of timing and coincidence. The pickup driver does not stop. Instead, he drifts left into another lane and accelerates away.
So, did Waze truly predict the crash ahead? Not really. The system had already detected a separate incident a short distance down the road and flagged it. The simultaneous timing of the two events created the impression of a forewarning, but there was no direct prediction linking the two crashes.
For viewers, this raises a broader point about navigation alerts. Modern driving apps rely on real-time data streams from users, road sensors, and historical incident reports to provide warnings. When multiple events occur near each other in time and space, it can feel like a single predictive moment even though the alerts stem from different signals and detections. In practice, the technology serves as a probabilistic guide rather than a crystal ball, offering timely cues to help drivers choose safer routes and adjust speeds. Observers should understand the distinction between an actual prediction and a well-timed alert that coincides with nearby events.
Video: YouTube
Photo: Depositphotos