Waze will soon have its own dedicated Android Automotive app

Waze is the most popular navigation app in France, so much so that it was recently updated with three regional accents. So it makes sense that Waze chose to collaborate with French automaker Renault to launch a new, car-specific version of the app. Starting with the Austral Hybrid and Megane E-Tech EV, it’s available on infotainment systems via Google integration.

To clarify, you can already use Waze on Android Auto by installing it as an app from your smartphone. What’s new is that Renault drivers can now install the app directly to the infotainment system and use it without a smartphone.

“When you drive, you can experience safer and more convenient journeys while eliminating the hassle of using a smartphone,” – Waze wrote on its blog.

“When you drive, you can experience safer and more convenient journeys while eliminating the hassle of using a smartphone”, Waze wrote on its blog. “With this new experience, Renault drivers will have all Waze real-time routing, navigation and alerts, plus settings, preferences and saved places, built into their car display.”

Renault’s latest multimedia system wirelessly supports CarPlay and Android Auto and comes pre-installed with apps like Google Maps and Spotify — no need to connect your phone for those apps. Waze can be downloaded from the Google Play store and installed in the infotainment systems of the vehicles mentioned above, or from Renault’s dedicated app.

Waze appears to be planning an expansion into other vehicles and brands, stating that it “looking forward to bringing this excellent driving experience to more users across the globe in 2023″. So, if you prefer Waze to Google Maps and own a vehicle that supports Android Auto, you might be able to switch soon.