Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Waze and Google Maps are the two apps commanding the navigation space, with Apple Maps playing catch-up with rivals and trying to become a more important name in the game.
These apps run in millions of cars every day, and while I don't have any figures to back my claims, it's no secret that Google Maps and Waze have become must-have companions for most drivers.
However, some people rely on this software too much, sometimes getting lost when a feature doesn't work as expected.
It's happening now with the Waze speedometer, as the feature is broken and no longer displays the current speed and the speed limit for some users. As you can see in my screenshot on CarPlay, the speed information is gone, albeit it's only a bug that the Waze team is already working on resolving.
The lack of speed information seems critical for some drivers, and I experienced what it feels like to not have the speed limit on the screen during a recent Uber trip. The driver noticed the missing speed data on the Waze screen and couldn't even tell the speed limit for the road he was driving on.
Drivers often ignore traffic signs and rely solely on navigation apps for such critical information. It's why authorities regularly remind drivers that navigation software can help make a journey more predictable, but following traffic signs is recommended.
My Uber driver repeatedly looked at the speedometer on the instrument cluster, telling me he typically used the Waze speed information because it's more accurate. While he is right, and I explained here why Waze and Google Maps show a different speed than the value on the instrument cluster, we should still use the value on our dashboard rather than the information displayed by the app running on the screen.
While the bug is still under investigation, with Waze expected to ship a fix as part of the next update, you can resolve it manually. On CarPlay, you can force-close Waze using the iPhone, so the application reboots and loads all features correctly, including the speedometer.
This workaround does the trick every time in my car, and I've seen others confirming that rebooting Waze helps restore the speed information. In some cases, users preferred to restart their phones, but the outcome is the same, with the speed data returning after Waze reloads.
It's unclear when Waze plans to ship a new update to resolve the glitch, but the most recent version landed last week with other fixes. Though fairly widespread, the bug doesn't affect everybody, with CarPlay users primarily affected. If you found another fix or can't deal with the bug using the workarounds detailed above, drop me a line in the comment box after the jump.
However, some people rely on this software too much, sometimes getting lost when a feature doesn't work as expected.
It's happening now with the Waze speedometer, as the feature is broken and no longer displays the current speed and the speed limit for some users. As you can see in my screenshot on CarPlay, the speed information is gone, albeit it's only a bug that the Waze team is already working on resolving.
The lack of speed information seems critical for some drivers, and I experienced what it feels like to not have the speed limit on the screen during a recent Uber trip. The driver noticed the missing speed data on the Waze screen and couldn't even tell the speed limit for the road he was driving on.
Drivers often ignore traffic signs and rely solely on navigation apps for such critical information. It's why authorities regularly remind drivers that navigation software can help make a journey more predictable, but following traffic signs is recommended.
My Uber driver repeatedly looked at the speedometer on the instrument cluster, telling me he typically used the Waze speed information because it's more accurate. While he is right, and I explained here why Waze and Google Maps show a different speed than the value on the instrument cluster, we should still use the value on our dashboard rather than the information displayed by the app running on the screen.
While the bug is still under investigation, with Waze expected to ship a fix as part of the next update, you can resolve it manually. On CarPlay, you can force-close Waze using the iPhone, so the application reboots and loads all features correctly, including the speedometer.
This workaround does the trick every time in my car, and I've seen others confirming that rebooting Waze helps restore the speed information. In some cases, users preferred to restart their phones, but the outcome is the same, with the speed data returning after Waze reloads.
It's unclear when Waze plans to ship a new update to resolve the glitch, but the most recent version landed last week with other fixes. Though fairly widespread, the bug doesn't affect everybody, with CarPlay users primarily affected. If you found another fix or can't deal with the bug using the workarounds detailed above, drop me a line in the comment box after the jump.
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