The Waze alerts on Google Maps are just another harrowing reminder of our eventual foray into a buttonless future.

Google acquired Waze more than a decade ago, and it is finally leveraging one of Waze's most popular tools. Drivers using Google Maps in Android Auto will begin to see reporting data from Waze users. The ability to see reports from other drivers has always been one of the biggest appeals of Waze, after all.

Conversely, Waze, which focuses on detailed traffic conditions and has 151 million users as of late 2022, gains greater visibility through Google Maps’ broader reach. For users, this collaboration is already evident.