Google Maps Introduces Maori-Accurate Voice for New Zealand Navigation

Google Maps now offers a New Zealand-accented voice that correctly pronounces Maori place names. The option appears when users select the “New Zealand” voice and results from a multi-year partnership between Google New Zealand and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori. The rollout starts today and will expand over two weeks.

Google Maps integrates New Zealand voice to improve te reo Maori pronunciationTe Reo tune-up for nav — MotoringnzGoogle Maps has finally learned to speak te Reo Maori - with a Kiwi accentThe Guardian

Google Maps previously rendered Maori names in ways many found distorted. A 2017 crowdsourced campaign, supported by the commission and Vodafone (now One NZ), collected over 60,000 correction suggestions, though technical limits delayed fixes. Meanwhile, the 2023 census lists te reo Maori as the second-most spoken language, with a 15 % speaker increase since 2018.

The GuardianTe Reo tune-up for nav — MotoringnzGoogle Maps integrates New Zealand voice to improve te reo Maori pronunciationGoogle Maps has finally learned to speak te Reo Maori - with a Kiwi accent

Over 60,000 Maori place-name corrections were submitted in 2017. The 2023 census records Maori as the second-most spoken language, with a 15 % rise in speakers from 2018. The new voice currently covers cities and towns; street updates will follow.

The Guardian

The effort is led by Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr, chief executive of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori, and Caroline Rainsford, country director of Google New Zealand. A voice actor recorded a large Maori phonetic script that feeds the AI text-to-speech model. The commission retains data guardianship for Maori scholars.

Te Reo tune-up for nav — MotoringnzGoogle Maps integrates New Zealand voice to improve te reo Maori pronunciationThe GuardianGoogle Maps has finally learned to speak te Reo Maori - with a Kiwi accent

The system runs in English with a Kiwi accent, using recorded Maori sounds and public New Zealand Geographic Board data. It initially covers cities and towns; street-level updates will follow. Google notes pronunciation may be imperfect at launch and invites user submissions via the commission’s website.

The Guardian

Apanui-Barr said the tool “secures a future for te reo Maori in the digital age” and that correct pronunciation unlocks place-name stories. Rainsford highlighted AI advances that enabled Maori phonetics in English sentences and expressed pride in a voice that reflects local identity.

The Guardian

Sources describe the model as English-based that incorporates Maori sounds, not a bilingual system. No quantitative accuracy metrics have been released, and the precise timeline for expanding beyond towns to streets is not detailed.

The Guardian

• “We can’t underestimate just how important this is in terms of normalising te reo Maori [Maori language],” — Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr, Chief Executive, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori

The Guardian

• “Says Caroline Rainsford: “I’m incredibly excited for New Zealanders to experience this new local voice in Google Maps.” — Caroline Rainsford, Country Director, Google New Zealand

Te Reo tune-up for nav — Motoringnz

• “Two things have been critical to the success of this update: Advancements in AI have enabled our Text to Speech model to pronounce te reo Maori place names in an English sentence.” — Caroline Rainsford

Google Maps integrates New Zealand voice to improve te reo Maori pronunciation

• “And [they] are going to be able to hear really incredible pronunciation of our very sacred placenames in New Zealand.” — Caroline Rainsford

The Guardian

Te Taura Whiri will establish a kaitiakitanga group to oversee the Maori lexicon, ensuring community access. Google plans to improve pronunciation accuracy, add street-level names, and support similar Indigenous-language initiatives in Australia and the United States.

Te Reo tune-up for nav — Motoringnz