[UPDATE 26 June 2015] The Safe Mode Kids voice pack on Waze is now available to the public! It’ll be available to more than 50 million Waze users around the world. 🙂

The ‘kid-sourcing’ phase started with 100 parents who volunteered their kids. 60 children were then auditioned and given lines to record, and 20 voices were finally selected for the voice pack. (Check out the video here!)

To download, open your Waze app and follow these instructions: Settings > Sound > Voice Language > Select “English (US) – Safe Mode with Kids” (powered by Maxis)

[Ok, end of update 😀 ]

Let’s be honest. When we drive alone, we’re completely ourselves. Pissed off with the uncle in front of you? Flip finger, don’t care. Got meeting? Put mascara while 90km/h on highway. Need to berak? Curse and jump red light lor abuden.

But… What if there were kids in the car?

OK, at time of writing we don’t know the result of our poll, but we’re guessing ugaiz would drive extra carefully with children in the car. (Sometimes you don’t even need children, mother-in-law enough already.)

So here’s the thing, Maxis knows that most parents are on their best behaviour in situations like these, so they’ve come up with something really cute to tackle it. Now, before you ask, NO LA CILISOS isn’t getting a single cent out of this. They do send some news to us once in a while, but we felt that this was really quite sweet and worth mentioning 🙂

So, how is Maxis gonna make Malaysians drive properly?

By using their voices on Waze!

Nah, just kidding. No screaming, nagging toddlers la. (We hope…)

Maxis is actually teaming up with Waze to create a a ‘Safe Mode’ voice option, where instead of hearing the voice of an angmoh fella or a weirdly Thai-like boy band singer, you actually hear children’s voices.

These kids will warn you not to forget your safety belt or text at an upcoming traffic jam… Y’know, stuff like that. Here… watch the promo video here. It’s a wee bit schmaltzy, but the idea is super cool!

And with voices that remind you of your little one (provided you have kids, little cousins or something), Maxis believes it’ll make a change in the way parents drive.

It’s common sense la that these voices will evoke a sense of caution to the driver, reminding him/her that their precious little ones are waiting for them to come home. Or that if they drive like mad fellas, there’s a high chance they may end up in some tragic accident and turn their kids into orphans. #coldhardtruth

So hopefully, an adorable voice chirping from the phone telling you stuff like…….

……. can make people be less reckless and more cautious on the road.

But that’s not the best part yet.

You can actually hear YOUR OWN KID on Waze!

That’s right! Who knows, the voice telling you that the po-pos are round the corner could be your little one! Maxis is looking for children between the ages of 4 and 12 to volunteer their voices. Chosen talents will find their voices in Safe Mode voice option, something that we’re sure beats another Power Ranger toy. That is, if kids are still playing them.

If you’re interested, email [email protected] for details.

Oh, and if you ever see our editor surfing in a traffic jam, go smack him on the face can?