Trakker Pakistan, in collaboration with NUST, recently announced their intention to launch a speech-based navigation feature for their TPL Maps app (similar to Google Maps). The feature, which will enable users to navigate routes via simple voice commands, is currently in the final phase of development and will be released in the second quarter of 2017. Unlike Google Maps, the voice commands can be sent not only in English, but in Urdu as well. According to Adeel Hashmi, Head of TPL Maps, “providing an Urdu-language voice feature, in addition to the feature’s ability to comprehend English-language commands in various local accents is our distinctive advantage.

With this feature, we aim to serve Pakistanis who do not understand English but want the benefits a mapping app provides.” The feature, which will cover all cities of the country, will be available for free (like the TPL Maps app) and will be automatically installed when users update the app. TPL Maps is available for Android (version: Lollipop) and iOS users and currently has 150,000 active users in Pakistan.