STATEN ISLAND, New York: The latest updates to Google’s Waze app are giving users a heads-up on speed bumps and keeping their commute smooth and ticket-free.
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The app is redefining its reporting experience, unveiling a sleek look that allows drivers to contribute real-time insights about road conditions effortlessly.
The navigation app is rolling out speed bump and sharp curve alerts on iPhones, with an imminent release expected for Andriod in the coming weeks. Although the official announcement is pending, some users have already received notifications upon launching the app, showing the addition of these new features.
Central to these changes is a redesigned reporting menu initiated by a new hazard icon on the corner of the screen, asking users, “What do you see?”
This alteration not only changes the visual aesthetics but also streamlines the reporting process, offering users a more intuitive and efficient means of contributing real-time data.
The two new icons for sharp curves and speed bumps come with flagged locations prominently marked on the map during navigation. Simultaneously, Waze is bringing subtle refinements to mobile devices such as the reporting button mentioned.
Within this overhauled reporting menu, users have the ability to report an array of different road conditions, ranging from traffic and crashes to police activity (including speed traps), bad weather, blocked lanes, road closures, and more.
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Similarly, users can report gas prices or request roadside assistance from fellow travelers. Addressing a critical issue, the latest update also includes a bug fix to ensure an accurate depiction of railroad crossings.
Unlike the previous iterations where users might have to navigate through two or three menus to access reporting options, the updated user interface now promptly provides more specific choices for each category and automatically sends the report after a few seconds without needing additional input.
However, amidst these improvements, a couple of options have been notably removed, affecting the granularity of reported incidents. The “hazard” section no longer includes the option to report roadkill, and the dedicated choice for a car stopped in the middle of the road has been omitted.
Although users can find alternative options for reporting similar incidents, the removal of these nuances may impact the comprehensiveness of reported data, challenging the app’s intrinsic goal of providing detailed and reliable information to users.
The company is actively testing and improving these features, with wider availability expected once reliability is ensured. The specific Waze version linked to the speed bump and sharp curve support is not clarified, and inquiries have been made to Waze for further details.
While the update is currently being rolled out on both Android and iOS platforms, there are reports that these changes may not be uniformly visible in Android Auto or CarPlay for all users.
Waze users are encouraged to share their experiences and insights regarding the new options, fostering a collective understanding of the evolving features within the navigation app.
-Staten Island Advance, N.Y./Tribune News Service
-TheStar