Asda expands trial of new indoor navigation tool for blind and partially sighted people
Asda is expanding its trial of new technology that will make it easier for blind and partially sighted customers to navigate their way around its stores.
Following a pilot at its designated technology innovation store in Stevenage, the supermarket has decided to integrate a further 10 stores into the GoodMaps smartphone app.
Asda said the app can pinpoint a user’s location within one metre of accuracy and then communicate directions to product groups or areas via audio, enlarged visual and touch commands. Shoppers will also be able to use the technology to search for key landmarks within the store such as the pharmacy, toilets and tills.
In addition, the app can search for specific product categories on shelves and guide the customer as close as possible to the item they are looking for.
The app is now being introduced in Asda stores in Blackburn, Caerphilly, Hulme, Totton, York, Killingbeck, Milton Keynes, Aintree, Queslett and Wembley.
Neil Fairclough, senior director of retail transformation at Asda, said: “The trial at our Stevenage store showed us that this technology can really make a difference to customers who previously had difficulty navigating the aisles whilst shopping.
“The value of these trials is that we can take the learnings from each step and better integrate the technology as we go further into the trial phase, ensuring an even better experience for our customers and colleagues in these trial stores.”
