Waze is rolling out AI-driven updates designed to reduce driver distractions and deliver a more personalized navigation experience, including a new “less chatty” mode that minimizes nonessential prompts and auto-prioritized routing based on a driver’s history.

The changes align with Google’s Gemini strategy and position Waze in competition with rivals like Apple Maps, expanding Gemini-powered features across the app.

The features are rolling out globally on Android and iOS now, with Motorcycle mode already live in select countries and expanding to more regions.

Updates apply to US and global Android and iOS users, with Gemini destination search in beta to boost natural language queries.

A beta conversational tool is being tested that can handle spoken queries to find open restaurants or parking and return a list of options.

Gemini powers natural-language destination searches and quick chat-driven queries, letting users find places like coffee shops, gas stations with low prices, or nearby parking, with results shown as a list.

Gemini enables improved voice destination search and map reporting, allowing human map editors to verify updates.

Users can report map updates and road closures through natural speech, sending details to local editors for verification, expanding conversational reporting beyond traffic incidents.

Conversational Reporting now supports describing map issues aloud, such as road closures or incorrect addresses, with submissions routed to editors.

The Conversational Reporting feature extends to allow users to propose map updates beyond incidents for editor verification.

A dedicated Motorcycle mode uses AI to optimize two-wheeler routes, account for two-wheeler hazards, and provide more accurate ETAs in multiple countries, supported by real-time data and editors.

Motorcycle mode is rolling out in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Malaysia, Peru, and the Philippines, with no announced US timeline.