Google Assistant comes to Waze for easier reporting, less distraction
Shouting at your phone in traffic sounds like a pretty healthy outlet, actually.
Google Assistant is a great way to cut down on distraction behind the wheel by letting its voice recognition take care of certain tasks. It's already been around on Google Maps , helping people get where they're going, and now it'll head to Waze.
Google announced on Monday that it will start rolling out Google Assistant integration on Waze. It's only available in the US and in English for now, and it's unclear if Google aims to expand its availability in future updates. It's also limited to Android phones, so iOS Waze users are out of luck here.
Part of the update will allow Waze users to give Google Assistant specific commands. People can say "Hey Google, report traffic" or "Hey Google, avoid tolls," and it'll act just as if you tapped your way to the same conclusion on the screen. This way, hands stay on the wheel, but Waze's renowned crowdsourced information will be as fleshed out as ever.
Google Assistant will also help people get other tasks done without having to leave Waze's app. Commands such as making phone calls or playing certain songs can be done just as easily by calling out "Hey, Google."
This will be a huge benefit for those who regularly use Waze while driving. But if you're not one of the lucky few to be part of this very specific rollout, there are other ways to minimize distraction behind the wheel. Android Auto is available on both certain head units and Android phones without a head unit, running a simplified layout that focuses on accomplishing tasks quickly and easily. iOS users can still run Waze in Apple CarPlay , too.
