Distracted driving is a real problem, and smartphones are often at the center of it. But when used properly, navigation apps like Waze can help more than they hurt, keeping you informed of the potential hazards ahead without drawing your eyes off the road. Today, Waze is picking up a suite of new features in this vein to help get you from point A to point B as swiftly and safely as possible.
Google announced six new features that are all set to begin rolling out to Waze users on Android this month, with some getting a delayed iOS release in the weeks after.
Perhaps the most helpful feature, at least for those of us on this side of the Thames, is new lane guidance for roundabouts. While single-lane roundabouts are relatively straightforward, multi-lane traffic circles can quickly become overwhelming — just ask Clark Griswold. Now, Waze will navigate you through these intersections with instructions on where to enter, which lane to choose, and when to exit.
Since nobody ever wants to get caught in a speed trap, Waze will soon show alerts whenever the speed limit ahead is set to change. And if your route has obstacles like speed bumps, sharp corners, or toll booths, the Waze community will now be able to note these hazards in addition to the existing ones like potholes and railroad crossings.
Waze knows that many of us prefer taking a particular route to work, school, or home, even if it’s not the most efficient option available. Now, the app will give you information about traffic and delays along these routes in addition to its algorithm-optimized routes, letting you quickly compare the tried and true to an alternative. And along the way, if there’s an emergency vehicle stopped on the side of the road, users in North America and France will now be able to report this to help keep everyone on the roadway safe.
Finally, once you arrive at your destination, Waze can give you helpful information about parking lots and garages. You’ll be able to see things like cost, whether valet parking is available, if the garage is wheelchair accessible, or if there’s covered parking or EV charging. You’ll even be able to reserve a parking spot right from the app in some cases — but all of this new parking garage functionality will be regionally limited at first, only showing up in certain major American and Canadian cities, such as Chicago, Montreal, and New York City.
Maybe if we start telling people the brain is an app they will start using it!
