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Google Maps is adding more options to its incident-reporting feature, which will allow drivers to avoid or prepare for dangerous weather conditions.
As spotted by Android Police, Maps now allows users to flag flooded roads, low visibility, and unplowed roads. The new incident types first appeared on Android Auto before showing up on iOS, but it does not appear to be available on Android yet.
Incident reporting has been a standout feature on Waze, which Google acquired in 2013. It allows users to report crashes, incorrect directions, police checks, and more. For a long time, Google Maps couldn’t match the quality of the reporting on its own Maps app, which mainly showed alerts for congestion, crashes, or roadwork. Last year, Google added community-driven Waze incident reports to Maps, allowing users to spot a “police ahead” report from Waze on Maps.
Users’ responses to incident reporting have been divided. While some like the important warnings they receive, others opine that too many alerts could be distracting.
“Every couple of minutes a warning (incident report) pops up asking about a stalled car, roadworks. Asking me to confirm if the issue is still there. Every time this stops the music playing. I have to swipe into the YouTube Music app and hit play again,” complained a Redditor.
One drawback of the feature is that once users flag an issue, Maps will ask every driver passing by if the issue persists. If too many drivers don’t respond, the app could show the alert even after it’s been resolved.