Waze has announced a batch of new features aimed at giving drivers and riders more control over how they get around. The update includes a dedicated motorcycle mode, a quieter navigation option for music lovers, and expanded Gemini AI capabilities that let you find destinations and report road issues just by talking.
The changes reflect a broader push by Google to make Waze feel less like a basic turn-by-turn app and more like a smart travel companion. With Google’s Gemini AI now woven into more parts of the experience, Waze is betting that natural conversation is the future of in-car navigation.
These are not small tweaks. Taken together, they touch nearly every part of how people use the app, from the moment they search for a destination to how they handle hazards mid-trip. Here is what is new.
Motorcycle mode is probably the most significant addition for a specific user group. Cars and motorcycles do not travel the same way. Riders can access narrower streets, but they are also far more exposed to road hazards like potholes, speed bumps, raised crosswalks, and narrow bridges. Waze’s new motorcycle mode uses AI to factor in two-wheeler shortcuts and restrictions, giving riders more accurate ETAs and surfacing hazards that most car-focused apps ignore. The mode is backed by real-time traffic data and a dedicated group of motorcycle map editors who continuously add hazard data. It is rolling out now in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines on Android and iOS, with more countries to follow.
Personalized routes are also going live globally. Waze will now suggest routes based on your past trips, not just general traffic patterns. If you consistently prefer highways over stop-heavy local streets, the app will start showing those options first. Users who do not want this can turn it off entirely in settings, which is a sensible default for anyone who values privacy or just wants the standard routing logic.
Less chatty mode addresses something a lot of drivers have quietly wanted for years. When you are deep into a podcast or playlist, constant voice prompts are annoying. With this mode enabled, Waze cuts down the frequency and length of voice alerts. You still get the important stuff, turns, lane changes, hazard warnings, but the app stops interrupting you every few minutes for minor updates. This rolls out globally on Android and iOS.
On the Gemini side, two features stand out. The first is an expansion of Conversational Reporting. Waze already let users report slowdowns by speaking naturally. Now that same voice interface works for map updates too. If a road is closed or an address is wrong, you can just say so out loud. Waze sends the details to local map editors who verify and apply the change. It keeps the map accurate without requiring anyone to tap through menus while driving.
The second Gemini feature is conversational destination search. This one is rolling out to the Waze beta community first. Instead of typing a place name, you can tap the search voice icon and ask something like:
- “Find me a coffee shop that’s open right now”
- “Find me parking close to Grand Mall”
- “Find me a gas station nearby with the lowest prices”
Waze returns a list of options and lets you start navigating immediately by voice. It is a small shift in how the app works, but it mirrors what people are already doing with AI assistants in other contexts, asking questions in plain language instead of searching with keywords.
For Waze, which built its reputation on community-driven traffic data, layering Gemini into the core experience is a logical next step. The app has always depended on users contributing real-time information. Making that contribution easier through voice, and making the routing smarter through AI, is a way to keep the community relevant while also modernizing what the app can do on its own.
