Select Google Maps Android Users Can Report Accidents, Speed Traps For Others

Google Maps is the most widely used mobile navigation app in the United States, but one important feature it lacks is incident reporting for users. However, that may not be true for long, as Google is letting select Google Maps users on Android test out a new feature that allows them to report accidents and other navigational hazards for the benefit of other users, Digital Trends reports.

Anyone who is included in the Android testing pool can use the new feature to report not only accidents, but speed traps. Users simply have to press a report button on the bottom left of the navigation display to jot down a report of what they saw.

Whether it was a collision that caused traffic to slow to a crawl or a speed trap that could disrupt someone’s commute, the report will show up for other users who are navigating along the same route. The app will then alert those other users accordingly, or possibly even change them to a different route if need be.

The new feature was spotted in the app’s file after an update in June but did not roll out until recently. The new incident reporting feature will bring Google Maps closer in functionality to Waze. The similar navigation app has already had the feature for some time.

Waze is the second most used GPS app in the U.S., a market that Google Maps leads by a significant margin. That said, any success Waze has benefits Google, as the search engine giant bought Waze for $1.1 billion in 2013. The two apps give Google a huge lead in the navigation market share over competitors like Apple Maps.

Google has worked to make Maps a more desirable app for commuters in recent months. An October update added a new Commute tab to the app, which contains live traffic updates so commuters know what to expect when they leave for work or school. The update even accommodated those who commute using multiple forms of transit, like driving and walking.

The update also added in-app music playback so commuters no longer have to switch between their music app of choice and Google Maps. Waze has similar integration with Spotify.