Google adds AI personalization less chatty voice to Waze

Google announced a major update to its Waze navigation app on July 13, 2026, introducing a suite of new features focused on personalization, artificial intelligence, and user control. The updates, which are rolling out globally on iOS and Android, include personalized route suggestions, a "less chatty" voice mode, expanded AI-powered reporting and search, and a new Motorcycle mode for specific countries.

The most significant addition is personalized navigation, which analyzes a user's past driving trips to suggest routes that align with their preferences. For example, if a driver consistently chooses highways over local streets, the app will begin to prioritize those types of routes in its future suggestions. This feature is optional and can be toggled on or off in the app's settings.

To improve the in-car audio experience, Waze is introducing a "less chatty" mode. This setting reduces the frequency and length of voice navigation prompts, allowing drivers to listen to music or podcasts with fewer interruptions. The app will still deliver critical safety alerts for turns, lane changes, and hazards.

Two features leverage Google's Gemini AI models. The existing Conversational...