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Cyclists who ride with Garmin gear can now appear as live, moving icons on the Waze driving app, and nearby drivers will receive an alert to slow down and watch for them on the road.
For riders already using Garmin devices, opting in costs nothing and adds a new layer of safety, particularly on roads where drivers may not expect cyclists. The feature is rolling out now, but you should be aware of its limitations.
How Garmin cyclists can show up for Waze drivers
Riders can simply opt in once through Garmin Connect. After that, sharing starts automatically when an outdoor cycling activity begins and stops when the ride ends. While a ride is underway, Waze users near the cyclist see a cyclist icon move along the road and receive a Live Cycling Alert reminding them to slow down and stay aware.
The feature runs on LiveTrack, Garmin’s existing live location-sharing tool, which lets friends and family follow a rider’s real-time location, speed, course, and more. Garmin says this collaboration extends that peace of mind to motorists, giving them greater awareness of their surroundings.
Garmin notes its location sharing is temporary and session-based. The rider’s name, identity, and route are hidden, and no personal information is shared or displayed in Waze. Drivers see only an anonymous icon and the alert.
How to use Garmin Connect’s Waze feature
You’ll need a few things to get this feature up and running:
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A compatible Garmin Edge bike computer or Garmin watch
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A phone running Garmin Connect with a data connection
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An outdoor cycling activity (the feature doesn’t apply to indoor rides)
The good news is using the feature is free: LiveTrack costs nothing on compatible Garmin bike computers and watches, and Waze is free for drivers.
The limits of this new safety feature
This new feature is a great safety perk, but there are real-world caveats worth considering:
This feature is for Waze only. Alerts reach drivers only when Waze is open on their phone. Google Maps, which has far more users, is excluded, so a large portion of the drivers you share the road with won’t see you this way.
It depends on your phone’s signal. Your position travels from the Garmin to your phone, then to Garmin’s servers, then to Waze, and finally to the driver’s phone. On a patchy rural signal, a few seconds of lag could put the icon on the wrong side of a bend from where you actually are. A rider who leaves their phone at home or whose phone loses signal simply won’t show up on a Waze map, as a ride without a data connection is invisible to Waze.
Finally, remember to treat this safety feature as an extra perk, not a guarantee. At the end of the day, it isn’t a replacement for bike lights, bright clothing, and defensive riding.
