The Most Anticipated Google Maps Feature on Android Auto Is Now Available

Incident reporting has become a necessary part of modern navigation apps. Waze pioneered the idea by allowing users to mark the locations of specific hazards on the map. Using crowd-sourced data, Waze generated warnings for users whose routes included the marked points, ultimately making every route safer and more predictable.

Google introduced the feature in 2019 when it introduced incident reporting to mobile devices. Earlier this year, in a sudden change of heart that fueled rumors of a potential Google Maps and Waze merger, Google introduced incident reporting to Google Maps in CarPlay.

The feature debuted alongside the much-anticipated speedometer, and everyone was convinced that the same update would eventually make its way to Android Auto.

Google has remained relatively tight-lipped about reporting incidents with Google Maps on Android Auto, with the company finally confirming over the summer that the feature would be rolling out to users on its Playground as well. The frustration was obvious, with many criticizing Google for being more invested in Apple’s platform than its own operating system, but this isn’t the first time this has happened, so it’s nothing new.

Google has already begun rolling out incident reporting to Google Maps for Android, with the first group of users getting the new features as part of a server-side update. That means updating to the latest version of Google Maps for Android — although you should do so, as it’s the only way to get the latest fixes and improvements — won’t trigger incident reporting in Android Auto. Google is rolling out the feature in waves, and your turn will come when the company deems your device ready.

The incident reporting option in Android Auto looks and works similarly to its CarPlay counterpart. There’s a + symbol on the home screen, and tapping it brings up a list of hazards you can report, including lane closures, roadworks, traffic jams, and accidents.

You need to press that report button when you spot a hazard, select one from the list, and that’s it. Reporting the incident shouldn’t take more than a few seconds, but make sure you only do it when it’s safe to do so, as most users use the feature via touch, which means they take their eyes off the road.

Google hasn’t announced the new feature yet, but I expect the company to share more details in a blog post later this year once more Android Auto features are ready. For example, Google is also working on adding radio and local media playback support to Android Auto, and the company will likely talk more about those once they’re available to everyone.