Vietnamese company VinFast is set to become the first all-electric carmaker to integrate what3words navigation across its entire lineup.
what3words, of course, is the location technology service that has split the entire world into 10 square feet chunks and assigned each chunk a unique combination of three random words to help identify it.
The advantage of what3words for VinFast is that it is optimised for voice search in more than 50 different languages – including Vietnamese. Drivers can enter a what3words address through voice or text input to find exactly where they’re looking for.
“VinFast makes the most advanced technology and high-standard designs convenient and accessible,” says Le Thi Thu Thuy, Global CEO of VinFast.
“what3words is exactly the type of partner we strive to integrate with – cutting edge, innovative and providing an answer to a very real problem.”
what3words users can also convert their current location into a what3words address by using the service’s companion app. The data processing system will automatically convert the coordinates into 3 words in their mother tongue that are easy to pronounce and memorise or in any language desired by the user.
“It can be a frustrating experience putting an address into a navigation system. Even if you have a building number, address and postal code, you can still be left driving around trying to work out exactly where the entrance is,” says Chris Sheldrick, CEO and Co-founder of what3words.
“Now, when a VinFast driver enters a what3words address, they can be confident that the location is accurate to 10ft, every time.”
what3words is becoming an increasingly popular choice as a navigation partner for carmakers. While many had assumed that Apple Maps and Google Maps would become the default choice for navigating, what3words has recently entered into partnerships with Lamborghini and Volta Trucks, proving the service’s utility for commercial and passenger use cases.
