This archive report was first published on 14 October 2021.
What is Waze? ¶
Waze is a navigation app that uses real-time traffic data to provide users with the most efficient routes. With over 140 million monthly active users, Waze has become a popular choice for drivers looking to avoid traffic congestion.
As of 2020, Waze had over 140 million monthly active users, and this number has likely grown since then.
Waze Icons and Symbols ¶
Waze icons and symbols provide users with important information about the road ahead. Here are some of the most common icons and their meanings:
- Red light cameras: Spotlights or cameras
- Accidents: Crash icon
- Hazards: Triangle warning sign
Waze Moods ¶
Waze moods are a way for users to express themselves on the road. These moods can be selected from a range of options, including cat, dog, LOL, cool, shy, happy, in love, peaceful, and more.
Changing Your Waze Icon ¶
To change your Waze icon, open the Waze options list and tap on the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner of the screen. Then, tap on your name and scroll until you find 'Mood'. Select the one you want.
Using Waze Handsfree ¶
Waze can be used handsfree when driving, allowing users to avoid distractions. This feature is available using voice commands via Google Assistant.
To use Waze handsfree, turn on Google Assistant for both your device and Waze. Then, go to 'My Waze', then 'Settings', and tap 'Voice & sound' and then 'Google Assistant'. Confirm by tapping 'Got it.'
With Google Assistant enabled, you can use voice commands to navigate, such as 'Take me home', 'Drive to work', 'Navigate to' and then say the name of a business or address, 'Find gas stations', 'Find restaurants', 'Find parking', 'Stop navigation', 'Show alternative routes', 'Show route overview', 'Show turn by turn directions', and 'Recenter the map.'
You can also take reporting actions to help other drivers, such as 'Report traffic', 'Report [moderate, heavy, standstill] traffic', 'Report a crash', 'Report a [major, minor] crash', 'Report police', 'Report hazard', 'Report flood', 'Report construction', 'Report object', 'Report broken traffic light', 'Report pothole', 'Report stopped vehicle', and 'Report stopped vehicle on shoulder.'
You can also adjust settings with your voice, such as 'Turn on / off voice directions' (Affects Waze voice navigation directions only), 'Allow tolls / Avoid tolls', and 'Allow highways / Avoid highways.'
Speed Limit Alerts ¶
Waze can provide speed limit alerts while driving. To activate speed limit alerts, go to Waze settings and tap the speedometer. Then, turn on 'Show speedometer'. The speedometer will now appear on your map as you navigate. Anytime you reach the maximum speed limit of an area, the speedometer will turn red and give you an alert.
You can customize your alerts to show: only when exceeding the speed limit, always show the speed limit, or not to show at all. You can also opt to play a sound alert when you reach the speed limit.
Speed Traps ¶
Waze can alert you when you are approaching a speed trap. If you are driving over the speed limit in an enforced area, you'll get both an alert on the map and a voice alert that a speed camera is up ahead.
Turning Waze Off ¶
It's a good idea to turn Waze off when not using it to conserve battery life. To turn Waze off, go to the app and tap the blue arrow at the bottom. Then, tap the STOP option and the app will cancel navigation. However, you will still need to close the app to ensure it is no longer draining your battery in the background.
Is Waze Owned by Google? ¶
Yes, Waze is owned by Google, having been bought in 2013 for $1.2 billion. It was an Israeli start-up.
Waze is only a traffic app, while Google Maps is a full-blown multi-purpose app that can show you places to eat, entertainment areas, events, activities near you, etc.
Which is Better, Waze or Google Maps? ¶
This depends on what you want in a navigation app. Waze tends to have a loyal following among certain quarters, but these are people who only use it for traffic navigation. Indeed, since Waze is only a traffic app, an argument can be made that it does that better than Google Maps.
However, there are instances where Google Maps can be better or more complete than Waze. For instance, if you are looking for events to attend to.
