Now you can ask for directions without taking your eyes off the road: Navigation app Waze, which is owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, has announced a new hands-free capability that promises to work just like Google Assistant.
According to news from Mashable, this capability is part of a suite of new features that are included in what Waze calls “one of its biggest updates ever.”
The “Talk to Waze” feature expands on the app’s limited voice control capabilities, allowing users to verbally set their routes, preview the navigation, send traffic reports and add stops to their journeys. To control the app via voice, users simply have to say the wake phrase, “Okay, Waze.”
The feature is available now for English-speaking Wazers in limited countries including the U.S., UK, Canada and Australia, but the company says that other languages and territories are being planned for the future.
Other features in the update include a new motorcycle mode, which allows users to select routes tailored for two-wheelers. The company says the system will learn and improve the more it is used.
Drivers who use specialized lanes will enjoy the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) route support feature, which Waze says is the first for any navigation app. Drivers who can use specialized lanes for carpooling or fuel efficient or electric vehicles can now customize their apps to include the routes in their navigation.
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