Final Year Project
Research Prototype
SafeNav explores how route planning can become more context-aware, safety-aware, and more explainable.
SafeNav is an experimental route analysis and live trip-sharing web application developed as a final-year undergraduate project. It investigates whether public safety signals, environmental context, and predictive modelling can be combined to help users compare routes using safety-related indicators alongside conventional route information.
Purpose
Why this project exists
The aim of SafeNav is to explore whether route planning can be enriched with additional contextual indicators such as crime-related signals, lighting conditions, nearby activity, route conditions, and time-of-day factors.
It is intended as a research prototype rather than a finished commercial navigation product, and it is being improved over time through testing, evaluation, and user feedback.
Design pillars
Safety context
Help users compare routes through safety-related indicators, not just distance and ETA.
Explainable outputs
Show why a route appears stronger or weaker using interpretable signals and summaries.
Trip support
Combine route analysis with live sharing, trip status, and navigation-oriented support.
Implemented features
What the current version already supports
Multi-route comparison
Compare route choices across multiple travel modes instead of evaluating only a single path.
Safety-oriented scoring
Generate route scores and explanations built around safety-related indicators.
Crime-related analysis
Include crime-related route analysis as part of overall route comparison.
Context-aware signals
Factor in nearby activity, lighting, route conditions, and time of day.
Live trip sharing
Share a public tracking link so others can monitor trip progress in real time.
Arrival updates
Support shared trip status updates and arrival notifications.
Navigation support
Provide in-app route-following and navigation-oriented assistance.
Model experimentation
Include an experimental workflow for model training, evaluation, and comparison.
Current limitations
What users should keep in mind
- Results are experimental and may not always reflect real-world conditions.
- Some external data sources may be delayed, incomplete, or inconsistent.
- Route analysis speed can vary depending on API and network response times.
- Navigation guidance and route-following still require refinement.
- Coverage and reliability may differ by location and travel mode.
- Model outputs and scoring weights may require further calibration and validation.
Planned improvements
Where the project can go next
01
Faster analysis and caching
Improve response speed and reduce waiting time during route comparison.
02
Stronger route-following
Make navigation behaviour more robust and smoother on mobile.
03
Better explainability
Show users more clearly why routes are recommended or deprioritised.
04
Guidance and onboarding
Add first-time guidance, walkthrough help, and tighter feedback-driven iteration.
Important disclaimer
SafeNav should support judgment, not replace it
SafeNav is an experimental final-year undergraduate project created for research and educational purposes. The application is still in active development.
Information, scores, route guidance, and recommendations shown by the app may not always be complete, accurate, or reliable.
Users should not rely solely on SafeNav for personal safety decisions, navigation choices, or emergency-related judgments.
Always use your own judgment and, where appropriate, official navigation tools, local guidance, and emergency services.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about the project
Is SafeNav a replacement for Google Maps or official navigation tools?
No. SafeNav is an experimental research prototype. It should be treated as a supplementary tool rather than a replacement for official navigation or safety tools.
Are the safety scores always accurate?
No. The scores are generated using available signals and experimental models, so they may not always match real-world conditions exactly.
What features does SafeNav currently support?
SafeNav currently supports safer-route analysis, live trip sharing, route explanations, time-based route comparison, and in-app navigation support.
How can I help improve the project?
You can use the feedback page to submit bug reports, suggestions, and general comments about the app experience.
Will more features be added later?
Yes. Planned improvements include better performance, improved navigation behaviour, stronger evaluation, and clearer route explainability.
Explore the project
Try the app and help shape the next version
SafeNav is still evolving. Real-world use and practical feedback help improve the app’s design, analysis quality, and usability.