Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
If you've been using Waze lately, you probably noticed that the Google-owned company simplified the reporting experience in a way that makes perfect sense.
Some redundant options have been removed, with Waze at one point even considering the demise of all but one police type report. Waze wanted to make the experience as straightforward as possible, so if an option was confusing or could be included under a different category, it was updated to make more sense for users.
I've seen several people confused about the "vehicle on road" report lately.
I've been using this report quite a lot, especially because a vehicle stopped on the road could lead to massive traffic jams. I hate to admit it, but drivers in my hometown have made it a hobby to park their cars on the right lane whenever they need to go pick up groceries or get inside a building for whatever thing they need to do.
A vehicle stopped on the road is a nightmare in dense traffic, so Waze helped me understand where you could encounter heavy traffic jams.
However, the option was removed as part of the update that simplified the reporting experience. The only similar option is "vehicle on shoulder," which is mainly used on highways.
Many people are confused as to why Waze removed the feature, especially because it was used so often by drivers in large cities.
It all comes down to Waze's attempt to simplify the reporting experience. The company considers that the "blocked lane" report could include the "vehicle on road" primarily because a car stopped on the road leads to a blocked lane. A vehicle that stops on the road also blocks a lane, so the Google-owned company considered the feature redundant in its simplified reporting experience.
The company expected users to guess that the blocked lane report replaces the vehicle stopped on the road, but it's obvious the change isn't as straightforward as planned. It makes sense when hearing the reasoning behind the update, but considering the blocked lane report is somewhat new, I'm not surprised to see users lost when trying to submit a report for a vehicle stopped on the road.
Otherwise, the new Waze is fantastic, and I love the new reporting experience. Most common options are brought at a one-tap distance, including on CarPlay, so it's now much easier to send reports for accidents, police, and traffic. Waze has also announced more new features, including support for speed bumps and sharp curve warnings, with these notifications to begin appearing for users this month.
All these changes confirm that Google has no intention to merge Google Maps with Waze, as the latter still makes sense as a stand-alone offering. The plan could always change overnight, but for now, Waze will stay where it is.
I've seen several people confused about the "vehicle on road" report lately.
I've been using this report quite a lot, especially because a vehicle stopped on the road could lead to massive traffic jams. I hate to admit it, but drivers in my hometown have made it a hobby to park their cars on the right lane whenever they need to go pick up groceries or get inside a building for whatever thing they need to do.
A vehicle stopped on the road is a nightmare in dense traffic, so Waze helped me understand where you could encounter heavy traffic jams.
However, the option was removed as part of the update that simplified the reporting experience. The only similar option is "vehicle on shoulder," which is mainly used on highways.
Many people are confused as to why Waze removed the feature, especially because it was used so often by drivers in large cities.
It all comes down to Waze's attempt to simplify the reporting experience. The company considers that the "blocked lane" report could include the "vehicle on road" primarily because a car stopped on the road leads to a blocked lane. A vehicle that stops on the road also blocks a lane, so the Google-owned company considered the feature redundant in its simplified reporting experience.
The company expected users to guess that the blocked lane report replaces the vehicle stopped on the road, but it's obvious the change isn't as straightforward as planned. It makes sense when hearing the reasoning behind the update, but considering the blocked lane report is somewhat new, I'm not surprised to see users lost when trying to submit a report for a vehicle stopped on the road.
Otherwise, the new Waze is fantastic, and I love the new reporting experience. Most common options are brought at a one-tap distance, including on CarPlay, so it's now much easier to send reports for accidents, police, and traffic. Waze has also announced more new features, including support for speed bumps and sharp curve warnings, with these notifications to begin appearing for users this month.
All these changes confirm that Google has no intention to merge Google Maps with Waze, as the latter still makes sense as a stand-alone offering. The plan could always change overnight, but for now, Waze will stay where it is.
Google News