Learning how to drive is easy, but obtaining a licence is a totally different story. In fact, I personally think it’s literally one of the most difficult but necessary things to do in Zim. It is quite taxing on time, effort and even emotionally! I’m sure most people share these sentiments exactly and generally, this is why Apps like Road Rules are gaining so much traction. In light of this, Age-X, a startup that comprises of 3 young fellows namely Van Lee Chigwada, Vitalis Chigwada and Zibanani Nkomo have come up with mobile applications which intend on helping the public obtain driver’s licences with less hassles.
Age-X has so far developed two applications to this cause; Highway Code Zimbabwe and Animated Driving Lessons. Animated driving lessons, as the name suggests does not only offer the usual read-and-answer type of questions but rather, animated demonstrations of the cars moving particularly on the ‘which car goes first typa questions’. “Arrows can be quite confusing, but maybe if the people see the actual cars moving, then they have a better chance of getting it right” stated Van Lee, who is also the lead developer of Age-X. The app allows a demonstration of the rules as you can press play and see the cars move in their correct sequences and why. I had the privilege of trying this out and I found it a really cool and exciting way of learning.
Nevertheless, the full version of this app will let you choose which car you think should go first (or the sequence) and why. Thereafter, it will mark your answer wrong or right and if the former, it will then give you the correct Zimbabwean standard answer. As has been mentioned earlier, the App contains the standard features i.e. questions, lessons etc. and these are free; the only feature you would have to unlock is their standout feature: the animated lessons and tests and this will cost you as little as US$0.99. The price is very reasonable considering the Highway Code book is sold for about 4 – 5 US dollars on the streets.
So far (which is about a week since its launch on play store), the app has up to 50 downloads. Animated driving lessons was actually created as a follow up of their Highway Code Zimbabwe which is surprisingly doing relatively well. Highway Code Zimbabwe has hit 940 downloads since the 25th of December 2016 (launch day) and has gained an audience even from countries like China, U.A.E, U.K, S.A and Malawi – which is quite surprising since the road rules may not be the same, but nonetheless.
Moreover, Age-X is working on a lot of interesting projects which you will hopefully be able to get a scoop on soon. One other interesting thing about these fellows that I just had to mention is that they do not believe in being funded, but rather, they believe that profits from preceding projects should fund the next project etc. This attitude might be exactly what other people need to become successful techpreneurs in Zimbabwe.
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14 comments
Well done, guys
Thank you Cal
Some apps have been there ages before Road Rules, for example Provisional Tests (since 2013, with 50,000+ downloads) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=zw.co.mobility.drive , it also has a companion Provisional Theory guide https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=zw.co.mobility.drive.theory . More research please guys.
These apps did get articles too. And follow up articles here on techzim. We personally studied the greats before we ventured into the field.
I’m 100% certain I’ve never read about them here. Please post the links to the articles, if you may.
Do a quick google search and tag Techzim. I wouldnt do them justice because there are so many.
Some were even mentioned in articles about African and also International competitions.
Look for Techzim highway code, techzim road rules, techzim zimbabwe most downloaded apps and similar searches.You will find a lot.
I don’t think we’ve ever written about the two apps; Provisional Tests and Provisional Theory. Thanks @ImiVanhu
I don’t get your gripe with them being featured though.
The only apps your seem to mention are from the same company. Bias maybe? Do you work for or own the company? Is this sour grapes?
More is better for our ecosystem. If you want to be featured(which it seems you have), why not give TechZim a shout?
Despite knowing the developer of those apps, there are no sour grapes here buddy. Just calling for fair play. An app with 50 downloads is being showcased, but they have never bothered to showcase an app with 50,000+ downloads. If that makes sense to you great!! It doesn’t to me.
Even when they wrote about the “first” commercial Zimbabwean game, I spoke out to say another game had been developed before (whose creator I don’t know FYI). The bias actually seems to come from the authors, rather then me as a reader.
I can’t keep quiet just because I know the developer of those apps.
Nice stuff! but what the heck, lets shoot for the stars next time: a full VR driving suite with a fully mapped zimbabwe and traffic conditions with a mobile port for the like of gear VR!
We ain’t shooting, we plan to go supernovae ha ha.
We have a lot coming for both Zimbabwe and our supporting countries.
We really have a lot cooking, this is us teasing you, for bigger things to come.
keep it up Lee keep it burning
The app is great, however your image is totally wrong. It looks like it depicts right lane driving and on another scenario it shows a car turning in what seems to be an oncoming lane for it.
Ha ha you are not the first to complain about that image. We all meet that driver, or we have been one once, that one who was going in the forward lane then decides to make a quick right from that lane.
I have seen drivers cutting in front of traffic like the image depicts hence we decided to add it into the app. Seems they never got the memo