Kakao Mobility has revamped the Kakao Navigation driving screen and expanded its safety information features to further enhance user convenience and support safe driving.
Kakao Mobility has significantly redesigned the Kakao Navigation driving screen to allow users to view various driving-related information at a glance without having to manipulate the navigation screen multiple times while driving.
The most significant change is the addition of the ‘Overall Route Bar’ at the bottom of the driving screen. The entire route information to the destination is expressed in a bar format, intuitively showing the remaining time, distance, congestion status for each section, traffic control, accidents, and other relevant information until reaching the destination.
By clicking on the CCTV icon displayed on the bar, users can directly check the status of congested areas via CCTV footage. When you pull up the overall route bar, it also displays alternative route information showing differences in time, distance, and tolls compared to the current route, as well as information about nearby congestion areas and easy navigation for parking information around the destination.
Through collaboration with the police agency, Kakao Navigation has expanded its information about enforcement cameras and is providing information about the ‘Rear License Plate Enforcement Cameras’ that began in April this year.
Furthermore, in areas where ‘Variable Speed Limits’ are in operation in school zones, enforcement camera information will be displayed according to the times when enforcement occurs. In school zones where the speed limit is restricted to 30 km/h during the day and relaxed to 50 km/h at night, speed limit information will be provided in accordance with the regulations for each time segment.
Based on information from the Korea Meteorological Administration and MasKorea, real-time road visibility hazard information will also begin to be provided in certain sections. Previously, ‘caution areas’ were displayed based on static information from signs, which meant that regions were flagged as caution areas even when there was no ice or fog. This enhancement is expected to assist safe driving when visibility is impaired due to fog, rain, snowfall, or icing.
Kakao Mobility plans to work with the Korea Water Resources Corporation to also provide ‘Flood Season Dam Release Information’ within Kakao Navigation and continues to expand collaborations with relevant agencies to offer more diverse safety driving information.
This revision has also introduced a ‘High Visibility Mode’ aimed at users with low vision and elderly drivers. In this mode, various icons, text, signs, and lane information on the driving screen can be viewed more prominently than in the existing app. To assist users who have difficulty distinguishing between green and red, the use of green in traffic situation guidance has also been excluded.
Kakao Mobility conducted usability testing of the High Visibility Mode with actual low vision users and confirmed the effects of improving accessibility. The High Visibility Mode has increased visibility compared to the existing screen and is expected to be effectively utilized in situations where the weather is poor, surroundings are dark, or when using navigation on a small smartphone screen.
Additionally, new navigation themes have been added to enhance the enjoyment of driving. By entering the ‘Driving Theme’ in the driving settings menu, users can apply Kakao Friends themes such as ‘Lovely Apich’ or ‘Chunsik’, as well as customize color themes based on their favorite colors.
According to Lee Seung-won, head of the Kakao Navigation Service team at Kakao Mobility, “In this revision, we have significantly improved driving safety and user convenience through app usability analysis and collaboration with various relevant agencies.” He added, “We will continue to invest in service innovation to ensure that Kakao Navigation can be a partner that helps users drive safely and enjoyably.”
By Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr