Waze Can Now Warn Drivers When Garmin Cyclists Are Nearby

Waze is adding live cyclist alerts through a new Garmin partnership, giving drivers a heads-up when a participating rider is nearby. The feature is rolling out globally on iOS and Android, bringing another road-safety tool to the navigation app.

It joins Waze’s hazard reporting and school-zone alerts, but there’s an important difference: these warnings come from cyclists who choose to share their location, rather than another driver reporting something on the road.

Riders need a compatible Garmin Edge bike computer or Garmin smartwatch, along with a compatible smartphone and the Garmin Connect app. They can opt in through Garmin Connect to share their LiveTrack location when starting an outdoor cycling activity.

Nearby Waze drivers then see a moving cyclist icon and an alert, giving them a reminder to slow down and leave room.

The idea complements tools such as Garmin’s Varia cycling radar. Varia warns the rider about approaching vehicles; this integration puts the warning on the driver’s screen instead.

Garmin says LiveTrack is free for owners of compatible devices. Although the company offers a paid Garmin Connect+ subscription, LiveTrack itself is an existing free feature that lets friends and family follow an activity. This partnership extends its usefulness to people sharing the road.

Privacy is part of the design. Waze says drivers receive a temporary alert without seeing the cyclist’s name, identity or exact route. Sharing is tied to the ride, and the alerts stop automatically when the cyclist ends the activity on their Garmin device.

The global rollout means this isn’t a U.S.-only launch. Waze hasn’t provided a separate Canadian rollout date.

The limitation is worth remembering behind the wheel: this won’t flag every cyclist. A rider without compatible Garmin equipment, or one who hasn’t opted in, won’t appear through this feature. An empty map still isn’t an all-clear to pass.

Would you turn on Garmin’s Waze sharing for your rides?