Apple Maps will give users the ability to report speed traps, accidents, and road hazards. The new features are live now in the iOS 14.5 beta, which is now open to public beta testers as well as developers, but, TechCrunch reports, won’t roll out to the general public until later this spring, according to Apple.
To use the new features, drivers will be able to report road issues and incidents by using Siri on their iPhone or through Apple’s CarPlay. For example, during navigation, they’ll be able to tell Siri things like “there’s a crash up head,” “there’s something on the road,” or “there’s a speed trap here.” They’ll also be able to correct stale accident or hazard alert information by saying things like “the hazard is gone” or the “incident is no longer here.”
While using Siri makes the reporting experience safer, the updated app will also allow users to swipe up on the map to tap a report button to alert others to accidents, hazards or speed traps, as well.
The new Apple Maps features could also make Apple’s app more appealing to users who feel their user data is safer within Apple’s ecosystem, thanks to the work Apple has done to position itself as the company that cares more about consumer privacy.
MacDailyNews Take: Yes, speed traps on Apple Maps! Before they make a mess, somebody send a pallet of Depends to Google’s Waze team, please!
OMG
This is good news for Apple Maps. But it’s better than you think. Apple NEVER does anything for one reason. There is always a matrix of benefits. They have mastered the network effect of positive internalities like no other company.
I have no doubt that this is the first user-level feature thats leverage a trove of data regarding road data. Pot holes, speed traps, long exit-ramp delays at rush hour, and so on. The more interesting application of that data is the Apple Car. Not maps. Imagine a self-driving car that never hits a pot hold, never gets a speeding ticket but can go 25% over the limit, never gets a flat tire on a gravel road. And so on.
OMG
Dreams do come true!
I hope this doesn’t get watered down. It needs reporting on cops, road hazards (pot holes) and traffic. All are critical to dumping Waze permanently.
And road gators! Damn those things!
What if we want to report good things? — “Brand new pavement!” “Such lovely scenery on the left.” “Wish my lawn looked like that.”
Reporting speed traps is illegal in some countries and come with high fines.
Switzerland is one example where reporting or accessing speed trap info is illegal
That’s fascinating. Are you sure? If so, can you post a link? I mean, I would, but to be honest I’m really freaking lazy.
This is cool. Goodbye Waze. Wonder if it will use up more cellular data than Waze.
I can see major problems with such a system. What’s to keep trouble makers from reporting all kinds of fake information?
It’s self regulated I am certain. I don’t see fake reports on Waze and it’s pretty much the same
If you get reported you are banned. If you over report something (like a police stop) you are banned. For these reasons you do not see abuse….seems to work with Waze.
I’ been getting warnings of a red light camera at an intersection near my house for months on Map
On one side I like a way to prevent getting a speeding ticket; as I speed a little every now and again. But the police do speed traps to also help reduce accidents and save people from getting hurt. So I a on the fence on how I feel about Apple pulling a position on this.
I have heard police on the radio saying they do not mind if the radio station reports speed traps. The cops do not want to give out tickets (they say) but rather the aim is to slow people down. If radio reports work, then so be it.
How about overlaying a live weather radar app on maps so I can see where the bad weather is while in my car using CarPlay?
Wish they’d also let myradar work with CarPlay…