Listen, I’m old enough to print out MapQuest directions. When we all started moving on from flip phones and started getting our hands on smartphones, I absolutely loved the idea of navigation apps like Waze and Google Maps. And I’ll be the first to admit that I, like probably many of us, have rewired our brains a bit with respect to navigation because we’re always using apps like this.
But at the same time, I know I did it Both Some of these apps try to send me in the wrong direction on a one-way street more than once. Sometimes, if the information they contain is extremely out of date, they will even try to direct you to things that no longer exist. Mistakes happen, and we all know it; But when they’re inside a navigation app that you’re relying on to get you somewhere safely, it adds another dimension of stress to your trip.
And if you didn’t know, Google Maps and Waze used to be owned by different companies. But Since 2013, both are owned by GoogleSo this is also worth keeping in mind. Although they started life with different approaches to navigation apps, they’re now both owned by the same company, and there’s likely some overlapping data (if not personnel) between the teams.
Why am I telling you all this? Because on July 13, 2026 Official Waze Blog Announced it’s stuffing a whole bunch of AI ‘features’ into your Waze navigation app. You’re going to take this Google Gemini and you’re going to take Like itwell damn! At least, you are if you’re going to use Waze. And normally, this alone wouldn’t be a reason for me to write about it like this, if it weren’t for a specific feature called: Motorcycle Mode.
Here, I’ll quote directly from the Waze blog, so you can read how it defines its new ‘motorcycle mode’.
Motorcycles require different routes than cars; They can access narrow streets and are more sensitive to road surfaces. Our new motorcycle mode uses AI to incorporate two-wheeler shortcuts and restrictions, helping you find the best route and get accurate ETAs. It also shows hazards that are difficult for riders to navigate, such as potholes, speed bumps, raised crosswalks, shoulder ends and narrow bridges. It’s all powered by Waze’s real-time traffic information and a dedicated group of motorcycle map editors who are constantly adding new hazards to the map. Motorcycle mode is rolling out now on Android and iOS in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines, with more countries to come.
Now, the main difference between Waze and Google Maps is all the social features engineered into Waze from the start. If you’re logged in to the Waze app, you can submit reports of road hazards, road closures, police on the road, traffic slowdowns, accidents, etc. Hopefully, if you are doing real-time reporting you are a passenger and not driving, but that is a separate issue that is beyond the scope of this article.
But here’s the problem: If both Waze and Google Maps haven’t yet solved the problem of sending people the wrong way on one-way streets, why should motorcyclists trust the Waze motorcycle mode it promises above? Maybe I’m wrong, and by some miracle, it would be really amazing to use it, and it’s not just an easy way to tell who is using it for extra drilling into user data harvesting on motorcycles.
The point is, you don’t have to take my word for it about navigation apps, which already have simple directional problems that haven’t been addressed yet. All you have to do is do a simple Google search, and you’ll find plenty of user reports from people getting sketchy navigational instructions from both apps. Some are on Reddit; Some are on forums, and some are even in videos (at least one motorcyclist was sent off a dirt road when he wasn’t expecting it, which is no good surprise).
Locking AI features into any navigation app, instead of making sure it is good at its stated purpose first, is an incredibly disappointing development. Yes, I know it’s rolling out right now in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines, and the US is not currently on the list of countries where it will be available. Still, I can’t help but want motorcyclists to have good, reliable navigation that gets them safely where they’re going.
But what do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
