Waze adds new AI-powered features and customization updates

Waze, the Google-owned navigation app, is getting new AI-powered features and customization updates , including the ability to report road updates conversationally and get personalized navigation.

Some of the new features are powered by Google’s Gemini AI assistant, which reflects the tech giant’s broader push to integrate Gemini across its products while also better positioning Waze to compete with rival services such as Apple Maps.

The app now suggests routes based on both a user’s trip history and its understanding of a city’s traffic patterns. For example, if a user prefers driving on highways over local streets, they will see those suggested first. If users don’t want personalized routes, they can choose alternate routes or turn off personalization altogether in their settings. Personalized navigation is rolling out now globally on Android and iOS.

Users can now also use Gemini to find their destination through a quick chat when they know what they need but aren’t sure exactly where to go. Users can tap the search voice icon to ask questions like “Find me a coffee shop that’s open right now,” “Find me parking close to Grand Mall,” or “Find me a gas station nearby with the lowest prices.” Waze will then respond with a list of options.

The ability to find your destination with Gemini capabilities is rolling out now to the Waze beta community globally on Android and iOS.

Additionally, Waze is introducing a new Motorcycle mode that uses AI to account for two-wheeler-specific shortcuts and road restrictions to help riders find the best route and receive more accurate ETAs. It also shows hazards that could be tricky for riders, like potholes, speed bumps, raised crosswalks, shoulder endings, and narrow bridges.

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, Waze says.

While Waze already lets users report traffic incidents, such as slowdowns, using natural speech, it now also allows them to suggest map updates the same way, including reporting road closures or outdated addresses.

For example, you could say “The road is closed here,” and Waze will send these details to local map editors. The option to report road updates conversationally is rolling out now globally on Android and iOS.

There’s also a new “less chatty” mode that features fewer interruptions on your drive when you want to focus on your music or a podcast. When you toggle on the setting, Waze minimizes the number of voice prompts and keeps them short. You’ll still be alerted to hazards and turns, but you’ll get them less frequently. Less chatty mode is rolling out now globally on Android and iOS.

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Aisha is a consumer news reporter at TechCrunch. Prior to joining the publication in 2021, she was a telecom reporter at MobileSyrup. Aisha holds an honours bachelor’s degree from University of Toronto and a master’s degree in journalism from Western University.

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