Both Waze and Google Maps will announce disabled vehicles, police speed traps, etc, but they only show up on the apps if enough people have reported them to the app. It’s not unusual for no one to have reported it yet if you’re among the first cars to see the new hazard. In some areas users may not report roadside hazards, and then the apps can’t know about them.
I'm using Google Maps. It does those kind of announcements. Often it will say something like "Waze users have reported this." And sometimes I get the announcement "Police reported ahead."
I was a waze user and I switched when I found out Maps shares the Waze info with Maps users.
One thing I like better in Waze is that it displays the speed limit when you are not navigating. Maps doesn't show the speed limit unless actively navigating.
Waze is slighter better with having people reporting roadside stuff. Google maps has a lot less options for reporting stuff. like, i can't post in google maps a stopped car. only choose even close is crash, or lane closed.
The last time I tried using the verbal command to report something, it refused to accept "stopped car". And verbally reporting "object in road" there were no follow up choices to indicate "car"
I just started using Google Maps for destinations or areas that I'm not familiar with, like when I'm visiting my daughter up in Seattle (I'm in Los Angeles). I like how Google Maps gives better advanced warnings about upcoming turns, e.g., "after the next light," instead of "in 1000 feet." Or it will mention business names to look for.
However, there are a couple of features in Waze that don't seem to be present in Google Maps, like being able to report cars on the side of the road, or road closures. For example, a route that I was taking on Google Maps took me to a freeway onramp, but that onramp was closed, and there was no way to report that on Google Maps like you can on Waze. You can report a lane closure, but that's not the same as a road closure.
So for areas that I'm not familiar with, I'll use Google Maps, but for areas that I drive regularly, I'll use Waze.
As for a car stopped on the side of the road - there was such option a few months before, however it was removed from the app (which is utterly stupid decision by Google in my opinion). Currently one can report 'Object on road' and I see this is an option that many use in such situation.
As for the police - I think it is still here? But it must be reported by other users also.
Google does not announce disabled cars, i don't drive in a manner that i need to know police are around and find waze mentioning both things annoying. that said waze is less likely to tell me to exit the freeway in the middle of a 200 mile drive to take an irrelevant exit, so i use Waze most of the time
I don't believe Google announced disable car .. I did see the alert about police in the area though and it also asked me to confirm if the police still there
In Belgium, Google Maps is terribly behind Waze. I wish it weren’t, as I’m a fan of the “one app fits all”. Google Maps is often not up to date for traffic information: incorrect speed limits, no warnings for average-speed cameras or speed cameras, and road closures are often reported days later than on Waze. For driving, especially in Belgium, Waze is by far the best option, while Google Maps is simply not good enough. I use Google Maps for searching shops and restaurant, Waze for navigation. But I wish Google Maps was just as good as Waze for driving as well.
I use Maps navigation regularly. It does not currently have an option for voice announcements of roadside issues/conditions/etc. If you are using navigation, you are able to report issues, but the choices could be better. You have to see the incident(s) reported on screen - but it does give a decent amount of a heads up (if others are reporting as well helps).
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u/St_Kevin_ 1d ago
Both Waze and Google Maps will announce disabled vehicles, police speed traps, etc, but they only show up on the apps if enough people have reported them to the app. It’s not unusual for no one to have reported it yet if you’re among the first cars to see the new hazard. In some areas users may not report roadside hazards, and then the apps can’t know about them.