Waze for Android now gets Google Assistant integration

If you are one of the drivers who constantly uses the Waze app for Android to navigate around, this new integration will have you celebrating.

The navigation app for Android gets Google Assistant integration making it easier to drive and navigate at the same time without distractions.

With Google’s announcement on the Assistant support on Waze, some useful features are finally made available in the platform through distraction-free voice control.

Android’s Waze app now gets Google Assistant integration

The exciting features that comes with the Assistant integration makes it easier for drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel.

The update will allow drivers to interact with Assistant for messaging, media playback and other standard tasks for the AI. In addition to that, drivers will now be able to utilize Waze-specific commands by simply speaking to your device.

Drivers can now report traffic or crashes and still never getting their eyes off the road. Instead of tapping your device screen to do this, you can use your voice.

You can even tell Waze to avoid tolls for you by saying “Hey Google, avoid tolls” if you have not set it up at the start of your trip. Waze will then redirect your route away to tolls.

Together with reporting speed traps, Google Assistant will also do the same things it is able to do in Google Maps, like controlling music or podcasts, setting your destinations and even starting calls. Below are some of the other Waze-specific commands:

• “Hey Google, report a crash”
• “Hey Google, report traffic”
• “Hey Google, report police”
• “Hey Google, allow/avoid tolls/highways”
• “Hey Google, show me alternate routes”

Drivers can also voice command Waze to report other obstructions and delays on the road. The app will then use your current location to send in reports to other Waze drivers can see where exactly are the slow-downs. This would just be the same thing to  when drivers use the touch inputs to report the same problem.

Feature is available to Android users in the U.S. – for now

The Google Assistant integration rolls out to Android users in the U.S. for the English language – for now. Google has not even provided a vague timeline for its expansion on the features.

It is safe to say that this feature would not be available to other platforms in different languages any time soon.