On July 13, Google announced five new Gemini-powered AI features for Waze. However, hands-on testing by Lifewire found that only three are currently available to most US drivers.
Motorcycle mode and Gemini-powered destination search remain restricted by region or beta access. The three features available to US users are personalized navigation, less chatting mode, and conversational road reporting, although one of these did not work during testing.
These features are part of Google’s broader Gemini initiative, which also extends to Google Maps.
Two features are still limited in Waze
Of the five features announced, two are limited by geographic availability or require enrollment.
Motorcycle mode uses AI to highlight hazards specific to two-wheelers, including narrow bridges and shoulder edges. Google is rolling it out only in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines, so US drivers can’t enable it.
Gemini-powered destination search allows drivers to use the voice icon to ask conversational questions, such as finding an open coffee shop. This feature is limited to Waze’s beta community. According to Lifewire, the beta program was full during testing, due to which new users could not join.
Lifewire recommends enabling low chatting mode. This feature reduces the frequency of sound signals, maintaining critical alerts for hazards, turns and lane changes while reducing repetition.
Previously, Waze’s Sounds and Sounds menu included General, Alerts only, and Off. Alert Only removes turn-by-turn guidance and provides only alerts. Low Chatting mode provides a middle ground, maintaining full navigation guidance with fewer and shorter prompts.
Lifewire’s testing found that Normal mode repeats each turn two or three times, providing advance notice. With less chatting mode, the app issued the same instructions per turn without repetition and gave less advance notice.
This results in reduced preparation time before complex evacuation. Lifewire did not encounter threat alerts during testing and could not confirm their urgency in this mode.
Personalized navigation learns driving preferences
Personalized navigation tracks what type of route the driver chooses, such as highways on side roads or short stops with short distances, and puts those preferences at the forefront when planning future trips.
This setting is found under Settings, Privacy, Personalization, then Personalized Navigation, not under Navigation Preferences. It consists of two toggles: Get personalized routes and Get personalized ETAs. These options cannot be changed while the vehicle is moving; The car must be parked to enable them.
Lifewire notes that assessing whether the feature adapts to a driver’s habits requires several days of use and cannot be evaluated in a single session. If this feature suggests incorrect routes it can be disabled, and drivers can manually select alternative routes at any time.
Conversational road reporting allows drivers to tap the report button, verbally report a situation such as a road closure, and send updates directly to local map editors without having to navigate Gemini menus.
Lifewire reports that the feature did not respond during testing. Waze’s in-app “What do you see?” Two attempts were made using. The panel gave a clear speech and did not respond. The only successful report was processed by Android Auto’s system-level Gemini assistant, not the in-app feature, and followed a different process than Google described. Testing with and without Android Auto connection yielded the same results.
Lifewire does not consider this feature to be broken for all users, noting that the rollout of Waze has been inconsistent and that a fix may be included in a future update.
Which Waze features to enable now
Based on Lifewire’s testing, US drivers using the latest Waze update can take the following actions:
- Enable reduced chatting mode in Sound & Voice settings to reduce voice repetition while maintaining full turn-by-turn guidance.
- Enable Personalized Navigation on Settings, then Privacy, then Personalization, then Personalized Navigation, and turn on Get personalized routes and Get personalized ETAs when parked.
- Consider conversational road reporting unreliable at this time, as it did not provide any feedback during testing. Continue using the existing One-Tap Report button.
- If Gemini-powered destination search is a priority, check the Play Store for the availability of the beta program. Note that the beta was full during testing.
Google hasn’t provided any timeline for expanding motorcycle mode beyond the initial seven countries, opening more Waze beta slots for destination search, or addressing the conversational reporting issues identified in the test.
The three widely available features require the latest Waze update, and rollout time may vary by device and region.
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