Apple Maps adds Waze-like features in iOS 14.5 for accident, speed camera and hazard crowdsourcing

Available to developers and public beta testers, the iOS 14.5 beta adds a new Apple Maps feature that allows you to report accidents, hazards, and speed traps along your route when you request directions.

When you enter an address, select a route, and then choose “Go,” Siri will let you know that you can report any accidents or hazards you encounter along the way.

If you swipe up on the ‌Apple Maps‌ interface where map details are available, you can tap a “Report” button that will allow you to flag an accident, hazard or speed trap, similar to other mapping apps like Waze. Tapping will automatically mark your location with no confirmation dialog, so it should only be used in a valid situation.

You can also say “Hey Siri, there’s an accident” and Siri will send a report to Apple Maps, and presumably if enough people report the incident, an accident site will pop up in the maps app through the crowdsourcing. This is currently available in the United States in a testing capacity and it is not yet clear whether it will show in other countries as well.

This also works in CarPlay, as stated on it MacRumors forums by MozMan68, with the reporting interface available on the ‌CarPlay‌ screen.

Note that the first time you search for directions after upgrading to iOS 14.5, ‌Siri‌ will inform you about the new accident reporting feature, but the feature will not be listed after that. There is no comparable accident reporting functionality available in iOS 14.4, nor does it appear to appear for all iOS 14.5 users at this point based on reports from Reddit, so there is likely some element on the server side.