Google rolled out a batch of updates to Waze on July 13, 2026, expanding the navigation app’s use of its Gemini AI model for search and voice reporting, alongside a new mode built specifically for motorcycle riders.
What changed
The headline feature is Gemini-powered search, which is rolling out to beta users globally. Instead of typing an exact address or business name, drivers can ask for something in plain language, such as finding a coffee shop that is open right now or parking close to a specific mall, and Waze surfaces matching stops along the route.
Google also expanded Gemini’s existing conversational reporting tool. Previously limited to flagging live hazards like slowdowns by voice, drivers can now report map errors the same way, saying something like “the road is closed here” to flag a closure or an outdated address without touching the screen.
New driving modes
A dedicated motorcycle mode uses the same underlying AI routing to account for factors that matter more to two-wheeled riders, including narrower streets, potholes, speed bumps, raised crosswalks and narrow bridges. It is launching first in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru and the Philippines, on both Android and iOS.
For drivers who found the app’s voice prompts excessive, a new “less chatty” setting cuts down on non-essential alerts while keeping warnings for hazards, turns and lane changes. A separate personalized-navigation feature, which suggests routes based on a driver’s past trips and typical local traffic, is rolling out globally and can be turned off in settings.
Why it matters
The update reflects a broader push by Google to fold Gemini into consumer apps beyond the Gemini app and Search, turning routine tasks like finding a parking spot or flagging a road closure into a spoken conversation rather than a manual lookup. Waze, which Google acquired in 2013, remains one of the company’s most widely used navigation products alongside Google Maps.