Waze has rolled out a long-awaited feature with version 5.4.0, allowing users to see turn-by-turn navigation directly in their vehicle’s digital instrument cluster. This update, now available on iOS via CarPlay, marks the first time Waze has enabled this capability, despite CarPlay and various automakers supporting it for years. However, Android Auto users are still waiting, as there is no confirmation of when the feature will be available on Google’s platform.
For years, Apple Maps users have been able to display navigation on their vehicle’s instrument cluster, a feature supported in select BMW, Ford, and Polestar models. CarPlay has always allowed third-party navigation apps to integrate with the instrument cluster, but Waze had never enabled this functionality—until now. Even though BMW’s iDrive 8, 8.5 and now 9 have supported instrument cluster navigation from day one, Waze users were previously forced to rely solely on the center infotainment screen.
With the 5.4.0 update, Waze users in supported vehicles can now see navigation instructions in the driver’s line of sight. This change does not require a vehicle software update—if a car already supports Apple Maps in the instrument cluster, Waze should work similarly. BMW users with iDrive 8+, Ford owners with SYNC 4, and Polestar drivers with the latest software have already confirmed the feature is working. However, one key limitation remains: BMW’s Head-Up Display (HUD) does not yet support Waze navigation, and there’s no official confirmation of whether it will be added in future updates.
Android Auto users remain in limbo for now. While the functionality should be the same once enabled, Waze has not provided a timeline or official details regarding its rollout for Google’s platform. Surprisingly, despite this being a significant update, Waze has not issued an official changelog or list of supported vehicles, leaving users to discover the feature through testing.
This update follows months of intermittent beta testing, where the feature was enabled and disabled in different test versions before being publicly released. While the rollout is now official for CarPlay users, Android Auto users will need to wait for further confirmation from Waze. For now, if you have CarPlay and a compatible vehicle, updating to Waze 5.4.0 should allow you to access this long-awaited integration.
