Already full of functions and options, Google Maps is further enriched with multiple new features all intended to facilitate travel, by car or by public transport. A big update that comes just in time for end-of-year travel!
For many of us, Google Maps has become a faithful companion when traveling, but also in everyday life. Whether it is to get to an appointment, check the travel time or simply find a nice little restaurant where to have lunch, the Mountain View firm’s mapping service is always there, faithful to the post, to the point of make it indispensable. With the end of year holidays approaching, Google has decided to give us a little help with a major update. As he announced in his blog post, new functions are arriving to help us plan our trips. On the program: reporting delays in public transport, help planning trips depending on the vehicle, and finding products in stores.
Google Maps: adapt and optimize your journey as best as possible
To help us get around better during this winter period, Google Maps is now able to report delays on public transport networks and provide information based on reports from other users and local transport agencies. So, when you consult a public transport station in the application, you can notice a new “Report a delay” button which displays the list of lines. On this same page, we can see a yellow “Delays” card, which specifies the number of reports, with the possibility of confirming if “delays remain”. Likewise, a new function allows you to report weather disturbances, such as unplowed roads, flooded roads or visibility problems.
Another new feature: Google Maps now takes into account the size of the vehicle to avoid unpleasant surprises while driving. In fact, for those who use trailers to transport or who travel with motorhomes during the holiday season, the service allows you to enter the dimensions of the load in the integrated application (Android Automotive) to then generate a route that will avoid low bridges and tunnels. Currently, the feature is only available on the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, and GMC Yukon, although Google says more compatible vehicles will have access to it in the future.
We can also plan a trip on our phone and send the route directly to our electric vehicle. Just add the car’s make and model into the app and Google says Maps will automatically show us compatible charging stations whenever we search for them.
Google Maps: preparing for the holidays more easily
Google doesn’t forget all the purchases we need to make to prepare for the end-of-year holidays. Also, to avoid going back and forth between different brands, the search results now include certain product inventories. So, when we look for seasonal items like Christmas sweaters, we will no longer only see the list of stores, but also the models available with their prices and location. For now, this feature only covers the clothing, electronics, home goods and grocery departments.
The Mountain View firm takes the opportunity to highlight certain functions which, if they were already present, may prove particularly useful at this time of year. This is the case with Gemini, which allows you to find events with a simple question, such as “What are some fun winter activities in Paris?” or “Does this place have free parking?” In addition, the Immersive View function, present since 2023, allows you to plan the route even before departure. This allows you to anticipate sensitive areas and organize your journey optimally. Especially since the latest update adds many details, like where to park and complex turns.
Finally, remember that Google offers a “Popular Times” function, which indicates the best and worst times to travel. This year, the firm analyzed data from the tool and identified the busiest and least busy times for popular locations that see a lot of people during the holidays, like airports, post offices and shopping malls. Nothing is left to chance!
