However, Google has multiple reasons to keep the two apps separate and independent, including potential antitrust issues that would stem from the fact that merging the most popular navigation choices in the market would make it impossible for rivals to compete against the search giant.
Leaving aside all the speculation swirling around the web, it’s obvious that Google is making Google Maps more like Waze. Furthermore, the company has started importing more traffic data from Waze, so Google Maps users will begin seeing camera reports borrowed from the traffic navigation app.
While Google isn’t trying to replace Waze with Google Maps, the company knows that data is king, so bringing more traffic information at a one-tap distance has become a priority. However, some users don’t like this approach, and they claim they’re ready to jump ship if Google doesn’t undo the latest changes.
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
The incident reporting system in Google Maps has been around since 2019 when the search company launched it on mobile devices.
This year, the feature received a major overhaul, making its way to CarPlay and eventually to Android Auto (the rollout on this platform is still in its early phases).
The incident reporting system doesn’t rely exclusively on users reporting hazards but also on confirming reports submitted by the rest of the community. Like Waze, Google Maps displays confirmation prompts requesting drivers to confirm the presence of certain hazards, therefore allowing everyone to contribute data for improving the navigation experience.
For example, Google Maps could display a prompt asking if “construction is still happening here,” requiring a tap on one of three options: yes, no, or not sure.
The same happens for all support hazard types, including accidents and traffic jams. In my experience with Google Maps, these confirmation prompts are not shown as often as in Waze and typically appear when sitting in heavy traffic.
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
However, this is not always the case, and users claim that getting a prompt on the screen blocks them from seeing critical navigation information, especially when they need to make a turn.
A confirmation prompt obstructing an upcoming turn is obviously a major shortcoming, so users are often tempted to interact with these popups specifically to make them go away. They don’t like this approach, which they feel is enforced on them, so they are now ready to switch to another app unless Google undoes these changes.
We all know that will not happen, and the incident reporting engine is here to stay in Google Maps. While the number of users complaining about this feature and calling for Google to offer cleaner, simpler, and more straightforward navigation is increasing, the search giant keeps investing in improving Google Maps in this direction.
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Users claim that the confirmation prompt requires them to interact with their phones, which is “unsafe and distracting.” Others want Google to offer a setting to disable them, though I doubt this will ever happen, considering that the confirmation prompts are there for a reason.
“I’m deleting Google Maps and using an alternative,” someone on Google’s forums says, explaining that the notifications sometimes appear when they are in heavy traffic and must focus on the road. Taking the eyes off the road for just a second to confirm Google Maps’ incident is obviously a big no-no, but considering users cannot see behind the notification – and they need navigation guidance – tapping an answer is often the only option.
Switching to another navigation app is most often the choice, but incident reporting has become a widely adopted feature in this space. Finding an app that doesn’t have this feature is difficult, and even less popular apps have adopted incident reporting and confirmation prompts to help keep the traffic information accurate.
Meanwhile, there are also users who believe that incident reporting and the speedometer make Google Maps an almost flawless navigation application. The two features are now live on CarPlay, so users who previously ran Waze have a good reason to switch. As I explained not long ago, Google Maps offers a cleaner and simplified navigation experience, and now that Google has addressed this feature gap, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more Waze users switching sides.
What is your opinion on this incident reporting integration in Google Maps? Is it something that the app needs, or should it remain a Waze-exclusive feature? Let me know what you think in the box below.