Waze is partnering with upcoming Netflix movie The Sea Beast to bring new voices, modes and vehicle icons to the Google-owned navigation app.
Available for a limited time this summer, the features will give drivers access to route guidance spoken by child stowaway-turned-monster hunter Maisie and her pet monster Blue.
There are also three “monstrous moods” to choose from, called Blue, Red and Yellow, and a new lifeboat icon to show the driver’s position on a map.
Intended to be an immersive experience, Maisie translates for Blue, and the pair will help you get to know some other Beasts from the film as you explore each of the three modes. We suspect the technique here is, show you kids the film then use Waze to keep them entertained on that summer road trip you've got planned.
With Sea Beast mode enabled, Waze invites drivers to “get ready to explore the world together, on a journey full of surprise, wonder and funny banter,” but we’ll leave you to be the judges of the latter.
To access the Sea Beast moods and voices, go to settings in the Waze app, then Voice & Sound -> Waze voice. To change your vehicle icon to the lifeboat, go to the settings app and navigate to Map display -> Car icon.
The Sea Beast comes to Netflix, and will be shown in select cinemas, on 8 July, and the accompanying Waze copilot experience is available globally, in English only, now and for a limited time to coincide with the release.
This isn’t the first time Waze has added a new copilot mode to the navigation app. To celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee last month, an impression of the monarch was added to the app, along with royal trivia and a temporary new car icon.
