Waze is entitled to an update which modifies its interface somewhat. The process of reporting dangers and traffic conditions is simplified, despite the disappearance of certain options.
Many drivers feared that Waze would be abandoned by Google and gradually absorbed by Maps, following the acquisition of the Israeli application by Alphabet and, above all, the reduction in its workforce and its association with the Google Maps advertising program. last July (see our article). They can rest assured, the Mountain View firm is currently rolling out an update for the Android and iOS applications which brings some small changes, including the way users can report road conditions. Indeed, we are entitled to a new danger icon which brings up in place of the old “Update map” menu a new one titled “What do you see?”. It allows you to choose from several options for reporting traffic, accidents, police, traffic jams, weather, lane closures, gas prices, and more. The goal ? Share information about what’s happening on the road more easily and quickly, with the app drawing much of its strength from the participation of community members.
Waze update: a revamped interface
Until now, to report an event on the road, you had to tap the yellow chat bubble icon. A window would then appear, then you would have to press the icon corresponding to the situation and follow the instructions as appropriate – providing more details and selecting “Send”. Typically, you had to go through two or three menus to find the option you wanted. From now on, the button to report takes the form of a yellow triangular panel and the choices are simplified in each category. Plus, Waze automatically sends your report after a few seconds, without any additional action to take.
However, it appears that some reporting options previously available have been removed. In fact, it is no longer possible to report the presence of a dead animal or a car stopped on the road – in the “Danger > on the road” section – although there is still a “Car on the side of the road. However, they were added not long ago, which is a real shame. The update is currently rolling out, so you may have to wait a bit before you can take advantage of it. Likewise, it is likely that it will not be immediately available on Android Auto or CarPlay.