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Google Maps is about to get one of Waze’s best features

Updated Jan 18th, 2019 5:55PM EST
Google Maps vs. Waze
Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

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Google Maps may be Google’s most popular navigation app out there, but the company has a similar app that’s even better for some people, especially frequent drivers. That’s Waze, an app that Google acquired a few years ago, and it does navigation a little differently than Google Maps and other rivals. Waze packs in crowd-sourced incident reports that’ll tell drivers about the state of the road ahead. Whether it’s accidents, heavy traffic, or police, the app will notify you while you’re driving to your destination, and it’ll even suggest better routes based on this information. We’ve heard a few times already, that Google is working on bringing incidents reports to Google Maps. And now it turns out that another one of Waze’s best features may be already available to some Google Maps users.

Not only does Google Maps display speed limits on the navigation screen, per Android Police, as is the case for Waze and other navigation apps, but it’ll also alert you to upcoming speed traps. Needless to say, that’s a huge deal.

The following screenshots show the new speed limit icon displayed in the lower left corner of the navigation screen:

Image source: Android Police

Waze users are already familiar with speed trap reports, so they’ll know what to expect on Google Maps. The same Android Police reports that speed trap icons have already been spotted inside Google Maps, right alongside voice warnings.

Image source: Android Police

As you can see in the screenshot above, speed cameras are identified on the screen, and an audio notification will alert drivers to their presence while they’re on the road.

There’s no telling when the feature will roll out to all Google Maps users. For the time being, it’s only available in specific locations in the US. While you wait for it to arrive, you can always get the Waze app from App Store or Google Play to use in the meantime.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.