New Apple iOS Adds Waze-Like Features To Maps

Apple will debut several Waze-esque features on its Apple Maps, including the ability to report speed traps, accidents and other road hazards, 9to5Mac reported.

The app will make use of Siri and CarPlay to help get the job done, the report stated. For those using Apple Maps after the newest app update to iOS 14.5, the Siri voice narration will announce the new features.

There will be several ways for users to report hazards, including allowing Siri to be used by saying “Hey, Siri, report an accident,” the report stated. Users can also report hazards, accidents and speed traps through the Apple Maps interface on CarPlay.

On the iPhone’s Apple Maps app, one can begin navigation, and then swipe up from the bottom of the screen to the ‘Report’ function, which will show the new ways to access crowdsourcing-based reporting features, according to the report. From there, any incident on the road that has accumulated enough reports will appear on Apple.

Apple has done other work as of late to boost the Apple Maps feature, including the rollout of quicker, more accurate navigation features, better detail, better road coverage and other such things, the report stated.

Apple has also been working on a foray into the autonomous car field after years of experiments with the technology. As of late, the company Apple wants to work with has been up in the air, as Hyundai, thought to be the one, dropped out recently. PYMNTS reported that some contenders, according to a consultant, could be BMW or Magna.

Apple’s project to make an electric car probably won’t come about through partnerships with a big company like Volkswagen, which has expressed a desire not to let Apple into its business, rather preferring to keep more control.

Among other companies working on autonomous vehicles are Tesla and General Motors.