Waze Motorcycle Mode and Gemini AI Features Roll Out Globally

Waze is rolling out a set of Gemini-powered AI features that add dedicated motorcycle routing, personalized route suggestions, a less intrusive voice mode, and natural-language incident reporting. The update shows how Google is weaving conversational AI into its navigation app while keeping human editors in the loop for accuracy.

What happened

Waze now offers a Motorcycle Mode that uses AI to tailor directions for two-wheeled vehicles. The mode highlights hazards that matter to riders, including potholes, speed bumps, raised crosswalks, shoulder endings, and narrow bridges. It also suggests shortcuts that may only be available to motorcycles. Accuracy is supported by real-time traffic data and a group of human motorcycle-focused editors who keep hazard information up to date.

The update also introduces a Less Chatty voice guidance mode that reduces voice prompts to only critical turns and hazards. For drivers who want fewer interruptions, this mode minimizes the app's voice guidance while still alerting for essential events.

Waze is expanding its Conversational Reporting feature, which began testing in October 2024. Users can now report incidents using natural language and also suggest map updates. Gemini-powered voice search lets drivers ask questions like "Find me a gas station nearby with the lowest prices" and receive custom results.

Personalized routing is also part of the update. Waze will suggest routes based on previous trips and driving preferences, such as favoring highways or quicker lanes. Users can disable these suggestions if they prefer standard traffic-based routing.

Motorcycle Mode is rolling out first in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines. The other features, including Less Chatty mode, Conversational Reporting, and personalized routing, are rolling out globally on Android and iOS. Gemini-powered voice searches are initially available to Waze's beta community.

Why AI builders should care

Waze's update demonstrates a practical pattern for integrating conversational AI into a real-time, data-intensive consumer app. The app uses Gemini for natural-language incident reporting and voice search, while keeping human editors in the loop for specialized routing like motorcycle hazards. This hybrid approach is worth noting for product teams building AI features that need high accuracy in edge cases.

The update also shows how to balance personalization with user control. Waze lets users disable personalized route suggestions and toggle Less Chatty mode independently. For AI builders, this is a reminder that giving users explicit control over AI-driven features can improve trust and adoption, especially in safety-critical contexts like driving.

From a cross-platform perspective, the features are rolling out simultaneously on Android and iOS, which matters for teams shipping AI features across mobile ecosystems. The Gemini integration for voice search and reporting also shows how conversational AI can extend beyond simple commands into richer, context-aware interactions.

Practical implications

For product teams building navigation or location-based apps, Waze's approach offers several takeaways. Domain-specific AI modes, like motorcycle routing, can be effective when paired with real-time data and human oversight. The hybrid model of AI suggestions plus human editors helps maintain accuracy for edge cases that pure ML might miss.

The Less Chatty mode is a good example of letting users adjust AI behavior. In apps where voice prompts can be intrusive, providing a toggle to reduce frequency while keeping critical alerts can improve the overall experience.

Conversational Reporting expands the ways users contribute data. Instead of tapping through menus, drivers can describe incidents in natural language. This lowers the friction for reporting and could increase the volume and richness of crowdsourced data. The same Gemini integration also powers voice search for vague queries, like finding a gas station that sells coffee with vegan milk options.

Caveats

Motorcycle Mode is initially limited to seven countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines. Other features are rolling out globally, but availability may vary by region over time. The accuracy of AI-generated motorcycle routing depends on ongoing human editor oversight and real-time traffic data, so edge-case inaccuracies are possible. Gemini-powered voice searches are currently rolling out to Waze's beta community, not all users. As with any AI feature in a safety-critical context, builders should evaluate the reliability of model outputs before relying on them for routing decisions.