Car maker Fiat has taken the unusual move of including the name of a navigation system in the name of its latest car. The Fiat Panda Waze is the first city car in the segment to integrate the Waze navigation app with Fiat’s Panda Uconnect app, allowing them to be used simultaneously, switching between them with a touch on the user’s smartphone display. The integration was developed by Mopar, the Fiat Chrysler brand that handles after-sales products and services for the Groups cars.

Waze is the navigation app that aims to enable drivers to avoid jams and save time during the daily commute and beyond. Millions of motorists cooperate every day by reporting traffic conditions in real time, enabling the app to find the best routes, based on information supplied by the 100m-strong Waze community. In addition to traffic information, the app also offers additional useful information, such as details of the petrol stations with the lowest prices.

Waze navigation is integrated in the Panda Uconnect app for iOS and Android, which allows the drivers telephone to be used as an extension of the car, interacting directly with the device display to access all infotainment functions, such as switching radio stations, selecting playlists, adjusting the volume, managing calls and texts, and checking the diary or weather conditions. The app talks to the on-board infotainment system, which includes Bluetooth 2.1 technology, audio streaming and a voice recognition function and handles data reading via USB and MP3.

The Panda Waze integration allows the apps to be used simultaneously. With Panda Uconnect on the smartphone, Waze navigation appears in a box on the screen, with route instructions and the estimated time left to destination. The reverse is also possible, with the Waze app in the foreground and Panda Uconnect as an icon on the screen. If the car is running low on petrol or a low tyre pressure is detected, an alert will appear on the smartphone display and the user can decide to select one of the best-priced filling stations or choose from the nearest workshops offered by the Waze app. The user selects the destination of choice and the navigator will suggest the best route to get there.

The Panda Uconnect app also features a ‘Find myCar’ service, to help drivers to remember where they parked, and ‘My Car’ for checking the cars parameters, such as scheduled services, and consulting the owner handbook, as well as direct calls to Fiat Customer Care or roadside assistance. Finally, if activated, an ‘Object Reminder’ function reminds the driver not to leave things in the car after getting out.

At launch, a limited number of Fiat Panda Waze cars will also come with Mopar Connect, a new set of services dedicated to safety and remote vehicle monitoring. Mopar Connect delivers new connected services, such as assistance in the event of an accident or vehicle location following theft. Moreover, it is possible to monitor some vehicle functions remotely, such as exceeding a pre-set speed or leaving a defined area on the map, and control door locking and unlocking.