[Heads Up] Waze v3.8 TTS Issues - Read Before Upgrading
Waze v3.8 (out today) has significant changes to TTS, if you rely on it for giving you sensible instructions around roundabouts, DO NOT UPGRADE. There were some serious issues found with it during beta testing.
We have known this was coming for a few weeks but have been bound by confidentiality until now.
In a nutshell the issues we identified in beta testing that you as editors (and Wazers) should be aware of are:
1. The TTS functionality for a simple roundabout (turn left, go straight on and turn right) has been changed so that now guidance is not given for 'go straight on' (by design) and advance instructions will be giving you directions for the junction after the roundabout. This is likely to lead to a lot of URs. Complex roundabouts (take the nth exit) are unchanged which is not good as now the two roundabout types behave differently! CentreCode BUG-2416 Closed as 'Working as Designed'
YouTube Video of this happening
2. Double roundabouts in certain configurations will only give instructions for the first roundabout so that you may be told to go straight on when you actually need to turn right. CentreCode BUG-2804
YouTube Video of this happening
3. When you have two junctions close together (say a staggered crossing of a main road) it is possible that the turn instruction for the second is only given AFTER you made the turn (or missed it). CentreCode BUG-2805
4. Roundabout instructions for non-TTS voices are also broken. When approaching an nth turn roundabout the advance warnings (1/0.5/0.25 miles) give you 'In <distance> at the roundabout ...', but at the roundabout you correctly get 'At the roundabout take the nth exit'. I tested with 'English (UK) Carol' and 'English (UK) Natalie'. CentreCode BUG-2738, 2175 and 2522
YouTube Video of this happening
5. TTS street names for no name roads now carry forward for multiple junctions (at least 6, maybe infinite). Previously this was not the case (just one junction?) but now this now matches the on screen instructions. The problem here is if you journey includes a lot of no name roads the instructions given will get a TTS name for the next named street which could be a completely different class of road and many miles away. (e.g. one of the routes I can use for my commute has some single track roads that Waze insists are the A16!) CentreCode BUG-2806
6. The Word 'Close' when used as a roadname suffix (e.g. 'Malham Close') is pronounced wrong.
Waze pronounces it as the opposite of 'Open' where it should be the opposite of 'Far'. Same spelling, different word. CentreCode BUG-2504 Closed as localisation issue, but localisation team do not seem to use the forum.
These roundabout issues particularly troublesome for UK roads as we have so many roundabouts!
I recommend you leave a constructive comment on the official feedback thread which is located here.
We have known this was coming for a few weeks but have been bound by confidentiality until now.
In a nutshell the issues we identified in beta testing that you as editors (and Wazers) should be aware of are:
1. The TTS functionality for a simple roundabout (turn left, go straight on and turn right) has been changed so that now guidance is not given for 'go straight on' (by design) and advance instructions will be giving you directions for the junction after the roundabout. This is likely to lead to a lot of URs. Complex roundabouts (take the nth exit) are unchanged which is not good as now the two roundabout types behave differently! CentreCode BUG-2416 Closed as 'Working as Designed'
YouTube Video of this happening
2. Double roundabouts in certain configurations will only give instructions for the first roundabout so that you may be told to go straight on when you actually need to turn right. CentreCode BUG-2804
YouTube Video of this happening
3. When you have two junctions close together (say a staggered crossing of a main road) it is possible that the turn instruction for the second is only given AFTER you made the turn (or missed it). CentreCode BUG-2805
4. Roundabout instructions for non-TTS voices are also broken. When approaching an nth turn roundabout the advance warnings (1/0.5/0.25 miles) give you 'In <distance> at the roundabout ...', but at the roundabout you correctly get 'At the roundabout take the nth exit'. I tested with 'English (UK) Carol' and 'English (UK) Natalie'. CentreCode BUG-2738, 2175 and 2522
YouTube Video of this happening
5. TTS street names for no name roads now carry forward for multiple junctions (at least 6, maybe infinite). Previously this was not the case (just one junction?) but now this now matches the on screen instructions. The problem here is if you journey includes a lot of no name roads the instructions given will get a TTS name for the next named street which could be a completely different class of road and many miles away. (e.g. one of the routes I can use for my commute has some single track roads that Waze insists are the A16!) CentreCode BUG-2806
6. The Word 'Close' when used as a roadname suffix (e.g. 'Malham Close') is pronounced wrong.
Waze pronounces it as the opposite of 'Open' where it should be the opposite of 'Far'. Same spelling, different word. CentreCode BUG-2504 Closed as localisation issue, but localisation team do not seem to use the forum.
These roundabout issues particularly troublesome for UK roads as we have so many roundabouts!
I recommend you leave a constructive comment on the official feedback thread which is located here.
Re: [Heads Up] Waze v3.8 TTS Issues - Read Before Upgrading