Google Maps also showing Waze reports on Android Auto

Ben Schoon | Dec 3 2024 - 8:00 am PT

Over a decade after Google bought Waze, the search giant is finally using reporting data from the crowdsourced navigation app within Google Maps and, as it turns out, that works on Android Auto too.

The appeal of Waze has always been the ability to see reports from other drivers on the road regarding upcoming conditions or incidents. Perhaps most useful for many, though, is the ability to mark the location of police activity, such as a hidden speed trap. Google Maps introduced its own reporting system several years ago, but the app only recently put more emphasis on the functionality, including bringing it to car platforms such as Android Auto, CarPlay, and Android Automotive.

Earlier this year, Google also confirmed plans to start using reporting data from Waze within Maps, allowing users in Google Maps to see reports from a more active community of drivers. That has finally started rolling out, months later, as we reported at the end of the November.

Somewhat unexpectedly, this functionality also works on Android Auto.

The Google Maps app on Android Auto supports showing Waze reports, just as the mobile app does. Like on mobile, a message saying that the report is “from Waze drivers” appears underneath the report type. The functionality was spotted by Alex Mullis on Threads, though it’s unclear how widely available this is given that even on mobile it’s not showing for everyone.

Presumably this also applies to Google Maps on Apple CarPlay.