Exclusive: Arnold Schwarzenegger voices Waze as the Terminator

Bryan Alexander | USA TODAY

Starting Monday, drivers around the world could soon be directed by a familiar Austrian-accented voice telling them: "I'm a Terminator Cyberdyne Systems Model 101, and you're coming with me."

It's Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor and former California governor, who is lending his persona as the famed Terminator from the movie franchise to the community-based traffic and navigation app Waze.

Snagging a star such as Schwarzenegger, even if he's using the Waze gig to promote his next movie, Teminator Genesis, opening July 1, has become a popular method for navigation apps to try to stand out from one another.

Waze has tried it before, luring Terry Crews of TV's Brooklyn Nine Nine to entice drivers to the app. Google-owned Waze is a free app that earns revenue from advertising.

See Arnold Schwarzenegger recording for 'Waze' The actor and former California governor becomes the Terminator when telling motorists how to find their way around town

To land Schwarzenegger, Waze formed a partnership with Paramount Studios that could give it a leg up in the battle against competitors such as Google Maps and Navigon. Waze has skyrocketed in growth from 15 million users in 2012 to its current 50 million.

To Schwarzenegger, being the voice of a phone navigation app is tinged with irony.

"In 1984, when we did (the first) Terminator, we talked about the world being run by machines. It was science fiction then," Schwarzenegger, 67, told USA TODAY. "Now you have machines telling you where to drive."

Schwarzenegger required a one-hour recording session to provide the automated prompts for Waze — everything from routine commands such as "turn left" to Ah-nuld-isms such as "Hasta la vista, Baby" at the end of the journey. The Terminator feature will last through mid-July.

"It is an added entertainment. Where I come in, I'm bringing the Arnold twist," Schwarzenegger said. "Even in the recording studio, people were laughing at every single line when I put the Arnold spin on it."

Schwarzenegger said he's a fan of the app and will be programming his Waze to Terminator mode.

"Of course I'm going to use my voice," Schwarzenegger said. "That's a must. When I get into the car and a passenger sits there and all of a sudden you punch up the app and there's me talking. Then they will go, 'What the hell is going on in this car?' It's funny."

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For Schwarzenegger, the voice gig is sweet redemption after being told early in his career he could not be a leading man because of his thick accent.

"Here we are 40 years later and my accent is a big asset. It's what people enjoy," Schwarzenegger said. "When I dreamt of a career, I had no idea that one day I would be telling 50 million drivers (where) to drive."

"Only in America," he added with a laugh.