Waze Launches Personalized Navigation and Quiet Mode to Enhance Driving Experience

Waze, owned by Google, announced on Monday the rollout of two major updates aimed at improving the driving experience both in Israel and globally: personalized navigation and a "quiet mode." These features address common driver complaints about excessive voice prompts and route suggestions that do not always match personal preferences.

According to Waze CEO Guy Berkowitz, the new developments enable a more tailored navigation experience while maintaining essential safety alerts. The personalized navigation feature learns users' historical driving habits, allowing the app to prioritize preferred routes, such as highways or local roads, rather than relying solely on shortest or fastest paths based on traffic conditions. Users retain control and can select alternative routes or disable the feature entirely.

The "quiet mode" reduces the frequency and length of voice instructions, focusing only on critical alerts like upcoming turns, road hazards, lane changes, and safety warnings. This mode caters especially to users who prefer listening to podcasts or music during their drives.

These updates will gradually become available to Waze users on iOS and Android platforms in Israel and worldwide. The move comes amid intense competition in the global navigation app market, particularly against Google Maps and Apple Maps in North America and Europe. While Apple Maps has recently enhanced its 3D views and natural language directions, Waze’s shift toward personalized routing aims to differentiate itself from the more generic, efficiency-driven routes offered by competitors.

In contrast, navigation apps in China, such as Baidu Maps and Alibaba’s Amap, incorporate augmented reality and generative AI for complex voice interactions, representing a more technologically saturated approach. Waze’s quieter, minimalist update reflects a different strategy focused on simplicity and user customization.

Berkowitz emphasized that these innovations make daily driving smarter, simpler, and more personal, without compromising safety.