Waze Starts Testing Traffic Light Feature, One Step Closer to Google Maps

JAKARTA - Waze finally showed serious signs of catching up with Google Maps by starting to test the traffic light marker feature. This feature, which has long been requested by users, is reportedly being tested in a limited manner in one country, marking the initial phase of development that has been a mere discourse for years.

According to a report from GeekTime, Waze is currently testing the traffic light display in Israel. However, its implementation is still very limited. When navigation is active, the app only displays a maximum of three traffic lights at once. This strategy seems deliberate to keep the map display clean and not distract the driver's focus.

Interestingly, the behavior of this feature changes when the user is not navigating. In this condition, Waze will display all traffic lights around the user's location, providing a broader overview of the nearest intersection. This signals that Waze is still experimenting with finding a balance between information and interface simplicity.

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This testing is still in its very early stages. There is no certainty when the feature will be released more widely, both in Israel and other countries, or whether the limit on the number of traffic lights will be relaxed in the future.

In May 2025, Waze confirmed that traffic light support was included in the development plan. Given that Waze is under the Google umbrella, there is speculation that this application can utilize Google Maps' traffic light data, which has been available in a number of countries since 2022.

For now, Waze users seem to have to be patient. Google Maps is still ahead in this feature, while Waze is just warming up the engine. But at least, the green light is visible in the distance.