I usually use the app on CarPlay through a wireless connection, but according to the comments I’ve seen from readers and online, Waze doesn’t work perfectly on other platforms.
However, it seems that the company owned by Google has some good news to share. Waze has completed the redesign of the reporting experience, and the new user interface is now available on iPhone and CarPlay (someone using Android Auto told me a few hours ago that the new UI is also available on Android devices, but I haven’t seen it on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra).
If you’ve been keeping up with the latest Waze news, you probably know what the new experience is all about. The company has been working on making the reporting UI simpler for a simple reason. Waze is designed for drivers, and drivers don’t have the time to navigate through the app and its menus to send a report.
The company has tried different approaches, with some types of reports being added and removed multiple times. The police reports, in particular, have undergone several changes before Waze settled on the current concept.
The new UI allows for faster and more convenient reporting, with the most common reports just a tap away. For example, once you tap the reporting button, you can quickly send a report about the police, a crash, a blocked lane, or bad weather with just one more tap. These are the most common reports in Waze, so it makes sense for the company to bring them to the main screen.
Previously, certain report types, like bad weather, were hidden in other menus, making it harder for drivers to access them.
I first noticed the new reporting experience a few weeks ago when it appeared on CarPlay in my car, but now I see that it’s more widely available, with more users confirming the update. Eventually, the redesigned reporting UI should be available on all platforms for all users, including Android and Android Auto.
The update doesn’t seem to be tied to a specific app version. Even after installing the latest Android version on my smartphone, I still haven’t received it, so it seems that Waze is enabling the interface through a server-side switch. I expect the rollout to happen quickly, as Waze has been testing the update for several months.
Meanwhile, I still hope that Waze’s commitment to improving the app continues. The experience with Waze needs significant improvements on all platforms, including Android Auto and CarPlay, where the numerous bugs often lead users to use alternative solutions like Google Maps.