Google has released a major update for its navigation app Google Maps, which has millions of users worldwide. The inclusion of notifications, which have been awaited for years, in CarPlay further improves the user experience. CarPlay users will now be able to directly report situations such as accidents, radar and closed lanes on the roads.
The feature has actually been available on Android and iOS platforms since 2019. However, the feature has finally gained CarPlay support in the iOS version of Google Maps. This allows CarPlay users to share obstacles or dangerous situations they encounter on the road with other drivers.
It is noteworthy that Google has not made this feature available for Android Auto, despite the fact that notifications made by others have been visible for a long time via CarPlay and Android Auto. It is still unclear when Google Maps will offer this feature to Android users.
Finally, with another major update that Google has made since 2019, it added a speedometer to Google Maps. This feature was first introduced by Android, and five years later it was also included in iOS and CarPlay. With the speedometer, drivers can see their vehicle’s speed on the map in real time. Google made the following statement on this subject: “By adding a speedometer to your navigation, you can see how fast you are going. The speedometers shown in the Google Maps app are for informational purposes only. Be sure to use your vehicle’s speedometer to verify your actual driving speed.”
Global speed limit indicator and privacy innovations
Google Maps has announced that it will be rolling out a speed limit indicator feature globally, in addition to its speedometer features. This feature will help drivers travel more safely by providing warnings when you exceed the speed limit while driving. If the Speed Limits feature is active based on your location, the speedometer will notify you that you are going too fast. When you exceed the speed limit, the indicator will change color and warn you. It is stated that external factors can cause Google Maps’ speedometer to differ from your actual speed. Therefore, it is important to use in-car speedometers to ensure accuracy.
Another important update for Google Maps includes privacy innovations. Google announced that it will start storing location data collected for the timeline feature directly on devices. With this change, it was reported that location information in the cloud will be deleted starting December 1. If users want to keep this data, they will need to download it to their own devices. This step is considered a positive development aimed at increasing user privacy.
Google continues to improve driving safety and user experience with updates offered to CarPlay users, while also showing its sensitivity to privacy. These innovations seem to further strengthen Google Maps’ leading position in the navigation and mapping world.
These updates, which meet the expectations of Google Maps users, are eagerly awaited as they will provide drivers with greater safety and convenience on their journeys. Time will tell how sustainable these innovations will be and when Android Auto will gain the notification feature.