Waze finally adds traffic lights — closing a long-standing gap with Google Maps🚦

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For years, Waze has built its reputation on real-time traffic jams, speed cameras, and accident reports — yet it was missing something surprisingly basic: traffic lights. Meanwhile, Google Maps has been showing them since 2022. That gap was one of the last major features separating Waze from its better-equipped sibling.

That’s now changing. Waze has started testing traffic light indicators directly on the map, beginning in Israel, with a broader global rollout expected to follow.

A long-awaited feature for drivers 🧭

This isn’t just a visual tweak. Knowing where traffic lights are helps drivers better anticipate intersections, turns, and potential stops — especially in dense urban areas.

Crédit : Geektime

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Apple Maps and Google Maps have offered this information for years, leaving Waze playing catch-up, despite being owned by Google since 2013.

Designed to keep the map readable 👀

During active navigation, Waze currently limits the display to a maximum of three traffic lights along your route. The goal: avoid cluttering the screen and turning the map into a visual overload.

However, when browsing the map outside of navigation mode, all known traffic lights in the area are shown. This gives users a quick sense of how stop-heavy a route might be before they even start driving.

Powered by Google data — and the community 🤝

Unsurprisingly, Waze is tapping into Google’s massive mapping database, which already includes traffic light locations in Google Maps, to speed up the feature’s rollout.

But true to Waze’s DNA, the app is also relying on its volunteer editor community to add and refine traffic light data. As a result, availability will likely vary by country and city, with a gradual rollout over time.

Waze, Google Maps… what’s next? 🔮

With this update, Waze erases one of its last major disadvantages compared to Google Maps and Apple Maps — while maintaining its driving-first, community-driven identity.

Still, a bigger question lingers: as Google continues to align features across Waze and Google Maps, is it laying the groundwork for a future where both apps merge into a single navigation experience?

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So what do you think — will traffic light indicators on Waze actually change how you drive, or is this a feature arriving too late to matter? Let us know in the comments: do you rely on Waze, Google Maps, or another app for your daily trips?