Waze Launches "Conversational Reporting" Feature To Report Dangers On The Road With Voice

Waze launched the "Conversational Reporting" feature (photo; x @9to5Google)

JAKARTA - A year after it was announced, Waze finally launched a "Conversational Reporting" feature that allows users to report road hazards using only sound.

As one of Waze's significant steps in the use of AI, the "Conversational Reporting" feature was first announced last October. This feature allows users to report hazards on the road, such as objects in the middle of the road, construction, or speed raids, by using natural language via sound.

Waze explains: Imagine you're driving on a toll road and seeing traffic jams. Just press the reporting button and talk naturally, like chatting with friends: There seems to be a traffic jam upfront! With the help of Gemini's ability, Waze will understand what you're saying and automatically add a real-time report to the map without needing a special voice command or pressing an additional button.

This feature is a welcome addition, especially as the previous system relies on Google Assistant. However, over the past year, this feature has only been available in limited beta. Now, the feature is finally rolling out more widely.

In the past week, Waze started introducing "Conversational Reporting" to more users. This feature works according to promise, allows users to explain the dangers on the road with sound, and Waze uses AI to select the right reporting options without the need for additional action.

However, for some users, Waze seems too aggressive in promoting this feature. A pop-up appears to notify users of the feature, but these pop-ups often reappear if users don't activate them. In addition, there are bugs that cause media playback to stall and don't come back after using this feature.