C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google Maps users are now seeing police reports sourced from Waze drivers directly within the app.
- These alerts are clearly attributed to “Waze drivers” and include a prompt to confirm if the reported incident is still present.
- This new feature is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to improve incident reporting in Google Maps.
Google Maps is getting a helpful boost from its crowdsourced sibling, Waze. As promised earlier this year, Google Maps has started to incorporate incident reports from Waze users directly into its navigation interface. This means that while you’re cruising along, Google Maps might now warn you about upcoming speed traps, accidents, or other hazards reported by Waze users. (h/t: 9to5Google)
Reddit user Truckin_18 recently spotted the new feature in action. While navigating with Google Maps, they were alerted to a “Police reported ahead” notification. A bottom sheet displayed the alert, clearly attributing it to “Waze drivers.” To keep you focused on the road, the alert includes a prominent “Are they still there?” question with big “Yes” and “No” buttons for quick feedback, and it disappears automatically after a short time.
Waze had previously shared more details about the integration, stating that this rollout begins with police alerts but will eventually include other types of incident reports. The company emphasized its partnership with Google Geo, describing it as a two-way data exchange aimed at providing the most comprehensive and real-time map data to users.
This integration is part of a broader effort by Google to revamp incident reporting in Maps. As part of this revamp, Google has slowly been introducing an improved user interface for incident reporting across platforms.
However, don’t get too excited just yet. It seems the rollout is happening gradually. So far, only a handful of users, including the aforementioned Redditor and a few others, have reported seeing Waze alerts in Google Maps. It’s possible that the feature is being tested in specific regions first, but Google hasn’t officially confirmed any rollout details.
Are you seeing Waze-reported incidents in your Google Maps yet? Let us know in the comments below.