- Waze users will be able to speak naturally with the app to find a destination using certain filters.
- The GPS navigation app’s latest update includes a motorcycle mode and a “less chatty” mode to reduce interruptions.
- Additionally, Wazers will be able to report road updates by talking naturally.
Waze, the popular social GPS navigation app, is getting a few AI-enabled features with the latest update, Google announced today.
Users will be able to have a quick chat with the app to find destinations based on certain criteria filters, without having to press virtual buttons on the screen. Thanks to Google’s Gemini AI assistant, Wazers can just press the search voice icon and give instructions like “Find me a coffee shop that’s open right now,” “Find me parking close to Grand Mall,” or even “Find me a gas station nearby with the lowest prices for premium gas.”
The second AI-powered feature that’s shipping with the latest Waze update has to do with the way users suggest map updates. Now, users can use Conversational Reporting to send road closures or outdated addresses to map editors by chatting with Gemini. The Conversational Reporting feature debuted in late 2024, with the app enabling drivers to report traffic incidents by speaking naturally, and now it has expanded to cover map problems, too.
There’s a new motorcycle mode now, which will offer different routes compared to the navigation algorithm that’s used for cars. The company said in a blog post that motorcycles can access narrower streets and are more sensitive to road surfaces, so it has employed AI to incorporate two-wheeler shortcuts and restrictions, helping riders find the best route and get a more accurate estimated time of arrival.
Speaking of the best ways to get to a destination, Waze will now suggest routes based on a user’s previous trips, in addition to its hyperlocal understanding of a city’s traffic patterns. Google said that if a driver prefers to drive on highways over local streets with multiple stops, those suggestions will pop up first. Personalized routes can also be turned off.
Photo by: Waze
Last but not least, there’s a new “less chatty” voice guidance mode that minimizes the number of voice prompts and keeps them short, which can come in handy when you’re listening to your favorite music or podcast. Critical reminders about hazards, turns, and lane changes still occur when the mode is active, but they’ll be less frequent.
Less chatty mode, personalized navigation, and Conversational Reporting for map problems are rolling out globally now on Android and iOS. The conversational destination search is rolling out globally to the Waze beta community on both platforms, while the new motorcycle mode is rolling out now in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines on Android and iOS, with more countries on the way.