How to use the Incident Reporting tool in Apple Maps

A useful new feature called Incident Reporting appears in iOS 14.5.

Apple Maps gains a useful new feature called Incident Reporting in iOS 14.5, which means Maps will offer timely and useful information for travellers. It’s a little like Waze for Maps.

What is incident reporting?

When you travel, Apple Maps will now let you share information of any incidents you see, such as an accident, hazard or speed check. The idea is that if lots of drivers report the same thing, this information will be carried on Apple Maps and made available to all users.

How does this work?

Once you have set up a route on Maps, Apple Maps in iOS 14.5 adds a Report item to Maps, just swipe up to access this. Tap Report and you can report an accident, hazard or speed check. The feature makes use of your location which it links to the report, so you should use it as and where you have something to report.

How do I use Maps when I’m driving?

Apple has baked this feature into Siri and CarPlay so you can use the feature while driving. If you see an accident, you might say: “Hey Siri, there’s an accident” and Siri will let Maps know.

Is this feature available everywhere?

Incident Reporting is reportedly only available in the U.S..

Search for a location on Maps

When will the feature be made available?

MacRumors tells us the feature isn’t available to every iOS 14.5 beta tester. Siri will inform you that the feature is available once you upgrade.

What else is coming in iOS 14.5?

The next iteration of iOS/iPadOS lets you:

• Set Siri’s default music service, including support for Spotify.
• Support for PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers.
• Use an Apple Watch to unlock your iPhone when wearing a mask.
• App Tracking Transparency Controls.
• AirPlay 2 support for Fitness+.
• Dual-SIM 5G support.
• The software should ship in the next couple of weeks.

What other Maps improvements has Apple made recently?

Apple continues to improve Maps. Most recently the company extended its Street View competitor, Look Around to additional U.S. cities, Portland, Oregon and San Diego, California and also begun to include the menus for some restaurants sourced from Yelp. This also reflects the introduction of a new feature for businesses making listings on Apple Maps called action links, which helps enterprises enhance their listing.

Maps watcher, Justin O’Beirne notes Apple has also increased the number of city label shown on its maps. Finally, in a welcome gesture of support for Martin Luther King day the company has also woven in a new feature U.S. users can explore in order to find local volunteering opportunities in this time of COVID-19.

Leading photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

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