Waze rolls out Gemini-powered features including new motorcycle mode for riders

Waze is rolling out five new features today, and the update leans hard into Google's Gemini push while also giving riders and daily commuters more control over how the app talks to them. The changes cover everything from motorcycle-specific routing to voice searches powered by AI, and they start hitting phones globally starting today.The biggest addition is Motorcycle mode, which uses AI to factor in two-wheeler shortcuts, road restrictions, and hazards like potholes, speed bumps, raised crosswalks, and narrow bridges—the stuff that barely registers for a car but can wreck a rider's day. It's backed by real-time traffic data and a dedicated team of motorcycle map editors, though the rollout is limited for now to Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines, with more markets promised later.

Personalized navigation learns your driving habits

Waze will now suggest routes based on a user's past trips, not just live traffic patterns. So if you consistently pick highways over side streets with multiple stops, expect the app to surface that route first. Users who'd rather stick to Waze's standard ETA-first suggestions can pick alternate routes or switch personalization off entirely in settings. This one's rolling out worldwide on both Android and iOS.There's also a "Less chatty" mode for anyone tired of Waze interrupting a podcast every ninety seconds.

It trims down voice prompts and keeps the ones that remain short, while still flagging hazards, turns, and lane changes when it actually matters.

Gemini now handles reporting and destination search

Conversational Reporting, which already let users flag slowdowns by talking naturally, now extends to map corrections—saying "the road is closed here" sends the update to local editors for verification. Meanwhile, Gemini-powered destination search lets users tap the voice icon and ask things like "find a gas station with the lowest prices nearby," with results ready to navigate to by voice. That last feature is currently limited to Waze's beta community.