Cliff Notes – Sonic The Hedgehog satnav app insists that you gotta go slow
- Waze has partnered with Sega to feature Sonic the Hedgehog as a voice option for navigation, allowing users to hear Sonic’s directions while driving.
- Sonic’s voice actor, Roger Craig Smith, has recorded new lines for the app, adding authenticity to the experience.
- Despite Sonic’s reputation for speed, the app does not encourage reckless driving, and fan reactions have been largely positive, with requests for additional characters like Shadow.
Sonic The Hedgehog satnav app insists that you gotta go slow
Gotta go respect the local speed limits (Sega)
We don’t know who asked for it, but Waze owners now have the option to have Sonic the Hedgehog himself give you directions while you drive.
If we ever had to pick a video game character to give us driving advice, Sonic the Hedgehog wouldn’t be our first choice. Sure, he has driving experience in games like Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, but breaking speed limits is kind of his thing.
Sega and Google subsidiary Waze, which is responsible for the satnav app of the same name, clearly do not care for such logic, as the two have teamed up to add the blue blur to the Waze app.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to hear your favourite insectivore compliment your driving, you can do so by downloading the latest version of the app and select the Sonic banner in the left-side column menu.
You can also set it up so your car can appear on the map as the Speedster Lightning, the bespoke vehicle Sonic uses in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.
‘Sonic is cool, speedy and unbeatable, an ace combination for a travel companion who’s on the lookout for new adventures,’ reads a Google blog post about the addition.
In case you’re wondering, yes, Sonic’s voice actor from the games, Roger Craig Smith, was brought in to record new lines for the app. So, it’s certainly authentic.
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We have to imagine the character’s energetic disposition will be a bit much for any early morning or especially long drives, though we suppose Sonic’s a better pick than other chatty animal mascots like Bubsy the Bobcat or Gex.
Headlines of someone getting caught for speeding while using the app almost feel inevitable, but thankfully Sonic doesn’t encourage speeding or reckless driving.
Sonic fan account TailsChannel has compiled some of the recorded lines and there is something amusing about Sonic’s more professional and serious delivery when he warns you of red-light cameras… followed by him suggesting the cameras should come with chili dog stands.
Fan response to Waze’s announcement on X has unsurprisingly been positive, with one fan pointing out they had specifically asked for this back in 2020. Others, meanwhile, are now asking that Sonic’s rival Shadow be added as an option too.
This comes after Sega also entered a multi-year partnership with McLaren Racing, which is set to coincide with Sonic’s 35th anniversary in 2026.
Sonic and McClaren Racing is honestly a far more fitting pairing and yet they never added a McLaren race car to Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. There’s still time to fix that though, with DLC.
It’s rumoured that Sega is continuing its longstanding partnership with Lego as well, with two Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds themed sets apparently releasing in January.
According to claims shared to a dedicated subreddit for Lego related leaks, the first set is a 126-piece recreation of Sonic’s car, complete with a Sonic minifigure, priced at only $10 (roughly £7.50 over here).
The second is more expensive at $40 (about £30) but includes two characters – Knuckles and Silver – alongside a large monster truck and Silver’s car from Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.
There are no images to support their existence, but if these are real, and coming in January as claimed, then we should see a formal announcement within the coming months.
In Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, your car can become a boat or plane as well (Sega)
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