The popular navigation platform Waze, which has been owned by the tech giant Google for years, has finally started displaying traffic lights directly on the navigation screens. However, if you have already installed the most current version of the app and still don't see the familiar icons on your usual routes, don't worry - the problem is not with your phone.
The reason for this uneven presence lies in the fundamental way Waze works. Unlike classic maps, where new features are activated with a single click of a button by developers, here everything relies on a huge community of volunteer editors. While Google Maps uses automated databases, in Waze each individual traffic light must be manually drawn, checked and validated by local cartographers. The lack of icons in your region simply means that the process of indexing the relevant intersections is still ongoing.
The developers have taken an extremely discreet approach to implementing the new extra. Traffic lights are visualized only as small static symbols on the map, without triggering annoying sound alarms or pop-up notifications. This saves unnecessary stress for drivers and prevents screen overload with information, especially in densely populated urban areas with consecutive regulated intersections.
For those who can't wait for the feature to come to life in their city, there is a shortcut - any user can contact the regional editorial community or get involved in reporting missing traffic lights themselves. In the meantime, Waze is already preparing the next logical improvement to the interface, with indicators for the "STOP" sign, which will further facilitate orientation for priority on the roads.