Waze has added broad nostalgic vibes of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s to its navigation app. You can now choose new “moods” to look like a groovy lava lamp on the map for other drivers and match yourself with a peace-loving flower power van on your own screen — all while getting directions from a smooth operator ‘70s DJ voice.
You can also mix and match the eras, too. You know, just in case you’ve lived them all. For instance, you could switch to “dialed up,” which makes you a beige all-in-one PC from the ‘90s while riding in an ‘80s “Rad Racer” sports coupe (like in the 1987 NES game) and still get the ‘70s DJ navigator.
But, if you prefer to live in just the era you’ve experienced or are a stickler for proper end-to-end themes, you could do just that. For the ‘80s, you’ve got an aerobics workout voice and a “Pumped!” mood that turns you into a retro boombox. You can also choose a convertible called “SUV4EVA” and have a teenybopper pop star take you to your destination and verbally offer you an autograph when you get there.
Each voicer has their own quirky lines when you get to wherever you’re going: the ‘80s aerobics instructor goes, “Let’s work out again tomorrow!” and the ‘70s DJ lays it in deep for you with “I can’t join you from here, but life’s about the journey anyway.” I took a quick trip outside to see if I could get any other lines, and I wasn’t disappointed during a U-turn. “A ‘you-turn’ is where you turn around; a ‘me-turn’ is where I get to pick what’s playing next,” said that ‘70s DJ guy.
Waze also partnered with TuneIn to bring ‘90s music hits for US drivers while syncing with the app. UK drivers get ‘70s tracks, and an ‘80s station will play while driving in France. Those are the defaults, but nothing’s stopping you from jamming to the entirety of Slippery When Wet through Spotify.
To activate the features, tap on My Waze in the app, and then tap the banner titled “Drive with the ’80s.” It’ll be there for a limited time and is available in English, French, and Portuguese. Waze has a lot of customization options beyond these. The company added celebrity voices like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Morgan Freeman, and even fictional characters like Master Chief — warthog included.