What3Words Maps Earth Into 3-Meter Squares for Emergency Location Sharing

Q: As What3Words moves into cars, will its core navigation and safety features be locked behind a paywall?

Yes. As What3Words expands into cars, its main in-vehicle navigation functions are set to sit behind a paid Pro subscription, even though the app itself will still be free to download. The key distinction is between basic location display and full navigation. Free users in cars will be able to see the three-word address for their current location, which preserves a useful safety function in emergencies because a driver can still share a precise spot with family, roadside assistance, or dispatchers. But the more important driving features — navigating to any 3-meter square, entering destinations by voice or text, and accessing saved locations from the car — are tied to What3Words Pro. That means the company is not putting every safety-related use behind a paywall, but it is charging for the core in-car experience that makes the system most useful for navigation. This fits its broader business model: the consumer app remains free at a basic level, while revenue comes from Pro subscriptions, ads, and licensing deals with businesses such as automakers and delivery firms. There is also a practical caveat. Emergency services in some areas already recognize What3Words, but adoption is uneven, and critics have noted risks from similar-sounding word combinations. So while the free in-car version still offers a meaningful safety benefit, the headline answer is that the core automotive navigation features will require payment.

3 articles · Updated · 69News WFMZ-TV · Jun 17

What3Words assigns every 3-by-3 meter square on Earth a unique three-word label, giving users a fast way to share an exact location in emergencies.
Three words can be texted in seconds and opened in Google Maps without the recipient needing the app, avoiding the difficulty of relaying long GPS coordinates under stress.
Roadside or shoreline locations can generate turn-by-turn directions, while remote spots such as lakes, oceans or national parks still provide the GPS data responders need.
The free app is pitched not only for boaters and hikers but also for campers, solo travelers, families and even crowded venues like ballgames or music festivals.