Google Maps Adds New Reporting Feature

Google’s navigation app Google Maps released a new feature that allows its users to report accidents and speed limit checkpoints. Google Maps users recently shared on social media that the “Add a Report” feature in the app has been made available to all Android users worldwide. Users first spotted the feature in Google Maps in June 2018. Its initial function was to simply confirm traffic reports. Updates on “Add a Report” were made late last year, but the feature was accessible only to certain countries at that time. Google Maps’ “Add a Report” feature becomes visible once users activate the app’s navigation. During navigation, a report button appears next to the magnifying glass button and audio adjustment function. Users can also find the feature on the app’s panel by clicking the upward arrow found on the lower part of the screen. Once the “Add a Report” feature is enabled, users can report accidents and the presence of speed cameras on the road in real time. The feature also displays how many users have noted the incidents. With this function, the reports will allow users to decide to continue passing by the reported paths or to go for alternative routes. Since Google is currently rolling out the “Add a Report” feature worldwide, users speculate that the tech giant already finished testing the feature, which was modeled after Waze. Waze, which is a navigation app acquired by Google in 2013, allows users to report road accidents, traffic, and police sightings. According to news reports, it is possible that Google will eventually import all of Waze’s best features to Google Maps, including alerts on road closures, hazards, and police reporting.