Apple Maps is getting a great new driving feature that rivals Google Maps

Apple Maps is introducing an incident reporting function with iOS 14.5 this week. This will allow users to report accidents, hazards or speed cameras as they encounter them. For everyone else, it means more accurate travel information – yet another reason to use it over Google Maps.

Waze, which has been Google-owned since 2013, promotes its community nature that delivers the latest traffic data to optimize your journey. Users can report incidents, map inaccuracies, even potholes and gas prices. Google Maps has also offered a reporting function to Android and iPhone users (though currently unavailable on iPhone).

Both Waze and Google have previously drawn criticism from police for adding the placement of speed traps through crowd sharing functions. It looks like at this time, Apple Maps will only allow you to report permanent speed camera locations.

• Just in: Apple Maps is getting a great new driving feature that rivals Google Maps

The Apple Maps reporting function will work on CarPlay and on your phone. It will also support voice commands, so you can say, Hey Siri, there’s an accident to report automatically.  Multiple reports will cause the incident, hazard or speed camera to then show for all other users, along with real-time traffic updates.

According to Mac Rumors, the feature is currently set to be available on release of iOS 14.5 in the US only but is likely to be rolled out to other locations soon. Apple Maps underwent a huge redesign back in January 2020 to give better road coverage and precise addresses, as well as providing interactive street-level imagery in major cities. It also added cycling directions, electric vehicle charging points and traffic data with the release of iOS 14 back in September 2020.

This latest move to expand its driving functions in Maps shows the importance of CarPlay and mapping in Apple’s plans, and its determination to outplay Google at their own game.