It’s kind of funny that Google Maps and Waze are owned by the same company , yet despite being products in a similar category, they’re both very different. But for those who primarily use Waze, you’re in luck. According to a recent report from GeekTime , it looks like Waze is testing out a new traffic lights feature.
Waze testing traffic lights feature
Users of Google Maps are probably familiar with this feature. Google rolled it out to its navigation app a few years ago, but for some odd reason, Waze did not get it. Like we said, it’s a bit funny how both apps are so different despite being owned by Google. In any case, the report has revealed that Waze is now testing a similar traffic lights feature , which should bring it on par with Google Maps.
In case it wasn’t already obvious, what this feature does is that it shows drivers traffic lights along their route. Based on the early stages of testing, it will be limited to a maximum of three traffic lights in navigation mode. Presumably this is to cut down on distractions and keep the UI clean.
However, in non-navigation mode, you should be able to see all the traffic lights around you. If you’re wondering why this is a big deal or important, it is because this can help drivers anticipate upcoming intersections. This can be handy if you’re driving too fast and need to know when you should be slowing down in anticipation of a stop. It can also improve overall safety by reducing sudden stops while boosting the accuracy of ETAs.
When is it rolling out?
The thing is, we don’t know when Google plans on rolling out the feature. Based on the GeekTime report, it suggests that it is currently in early testing. Plus, it appears to be only available in Israel at this time of writing. This means that either Google could make it a localized feature, or if they’re simply limiting its testing range before rolling it out to more regions.
Either way, we do know that it will eventually arrive. Waze did confirm earlier this year that traffic light support is coming, but we just don’t know when yet. However, since Google Maps already has a similar feature, Waze could leverage the data which could speed up development. But for now, we’ll just have to wait and see.
