Google has extended the Google Assistant to Waze, the Google-owned GPS navigation software that “provides turn-by-turn navigation information and user-submitted travel times and route details, while downloading location-dependent information over a mobile telephone network” (Wikipedia).
Google Assistant in Waze can help the user stuck in a long line of traffic by letting them use other apps without having to leave the navigation screen.
Thanks to its community of millions of drivers contributing real-time data every second, Waze helps you beat traffic, while the Assistant lets you play music and podcasts, message your friends and call your family hands-free – without ever leaving the navigation screen. – Austin Chang, Director of Google Assistant.
Moreover, Google Assistant would help the user access Waze features such as reporting traffic, checking for alternate routes, or marking a pothole via voice commands in a hands-free way. For instance, “Hey Google, report traffic” can report traffic, and” Hey Google, avoid tolls” can look for alternative routes, and more, while navigating with Waze.
Google anticipates that voice commands would help minimize distractions while driving so as to ensure safety and good driving experience.
The Assistant for Waze is available from today itself on Android phones in English in the US.