Waze adds AI-powered features: personalized routes, Gemini conversational search, and Motorcycle mode

What happened

Google updated the Waze navigation app on July 13, 2026 with new AI features powered by Gemini. The update includes personalized route suggestions, conversational voice search, and voice-based traffic reporting.

Context and impact

Waze with 140+ million users is the first mass-market navigation app with conversational AI at this scale. For Google, this showcases Gemini integration into consumer products. Motorcycle mode launched in 7 countries including Brazil, Mexico, and Malaysia.

Details

• Personalized routes: Waze tracks trip history and preferences (highway vs. local streets)
• Gemini search: conversational voice destination entry ('Find a gas station near the airport')
• Voice reporting: map updates by voice (road closure, wrong address)
• Less chatty mode: reduced frequency of voice prompts
• Motorcycle mode: launched in Peru, Mexico, Malaysia, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Philippines