The latest updates to Google’s Waze app are aimed at providing users with better real-time insights about road conditions, including speed bumps and sharp curves, to ensure smoother and ticket-free commutes.
One of the key changes is the introduction of speed bump and sharp curve alerts, initially available on iPhones and expected to roll out to Android devices in the coming weeks. Users may have already received notifications about these new features upon launching the app.
These updates come with a redesigned reporting menu, featuring a new hazard icon that prompts users to contribute real-time data more effortlessly. This streamlined process aims to make reporting road conditions more intuitive and efficient.
Within the reporting menu, users can now easily report various road conditions such as traffic, crashes, police activity (including speed traps), bad weather, blocked lanes, road closures, and more. They can also report gas prices or request roadside assistance from fellow travellers.
While the update brings several improvements, some options have been notably removed, affecting the granularity of reported incidents. For example, users can no longer report roadkill or a car stopped in the middle of the road directly.
Despite these changes, the company is actively testing and improving these features to ensure reliability. The specific Waze version linked to these updates is not clarified, but wider availability is expected once reliability is ensured.
However, there are reports that these changes may not be uniformly visible in Android Auto or CarPlay for all users. Nonetheless, Waze users are encouraged to share their experiences and insights regarding the new options to foster a collective understanding of the evolving features within the app.