Waze is one of the more brilliant apps out there, effectively wielding the power of shared information to improve individual situations. In the old days, motorists used to flash their headlights at oncoming traffic to warn them of upcoming speed traps; it was easy and conveyed useful information. With Waze and connectivity, drivers can easily share a far richer variety of data, including traffic accidents, weather and, passively, how fast they’re actually traveling down any particular stretch of roadway.
Something I never realized was how Waze got their maps in the first place. I always just assumed they linked up with an established company. But in the following video by Google reporters Nat & Lo, we see that the original developer, Ehud Shabtai, enticed average drivers to chart the maps by taking a cue from Pac-Man:
Via The Awesomer
http://www.core77.com/posts/54126/See-How-Waze-Works