Tech Desk 
Dec 01, 2024
As part of a redesigned incident reporting system across platforms, Google Maps is set to integrate Waze reports for users to confirm while navigating.
By sharing incident reports between Google Maps and Waze, both apps are enriched with real-time data, improving the navigation experience for millions of users. Google Maps continues to expand its reach, exceeding two billion monthly active users by the end of October 2024. In contrast, Waze had 151 million active users by the end of 2022.
While Waze is centred around crowdsourced mapping conditions, Google Maps is generally used for comprehensive mapping, navigation, and more. In October, Waze began testing a Conversational Reporting ”capability.“
In July, Alphabet-owned Google announced the enhanced reporting user interface (UI) for Android, iOS, Android Auto, CarPlay, and Android Automotive. Google revealed that “these reports come from the Maps and Waze communities, and you can even see which app a report came from.”
Waze further explained: “Google Maps will surface reports from our drivers with attribution to Waze directly in the app,” beginning with police alerts. However, “more data types will be shared and attributed to Waze,” soon, alerting users to accidents, or road closures, and helping them avoid dangerous situations.
In the Google Maps mobile app, when a user receives a prompt, a bottom sheet appears, displaying the message: "Police reported ahead. It is attributed to ‘From Waze drivers’," and asks, "Are they still there?" with prominently displayed “Yes” or “No” buttons.
This panel disappears automatically after a countdown, ensuring a seamless user experience.
