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Google Maps can predict how crowded your train or bus will be
Public transit is vital for countless people, but no one wants to be stuck on a subway train or bus that's jam-packed. To help you figure out how busy your ride is going to be, you'll soon see predictions to that end in Google Maps. Google is tapping into data from previous rides to predict how packed a bus, train or subway will be.
Google Maps can warn you if your ride goes off-route
Many ride-hailing passengers are understandably anxious about their vehicles going off-route due to the potential for sexual assault. However, Google hopes it can set minds at ease until there really is cause for worry. It just introduced optional off-route alerts that let Google Maps users on Android know if their ride veers more than 0.5km (about 0.3 miles) from the suggested route. Enable the feature and you'll get a "prominent notification" as well as a view of where you are relative to the suggested path. From there, you can share your live trip details if you want others to be aware or take action.
Google Maps shows your speed while you're driving
Google isn't just counting on speed limits in Maps to encourage safe driving -- it's now showing your actual speed. Android Police has learned that Google Maps is rolling out an optional speedometer that kicks in while you're using driving navigation. It displays next to the current speed limit and changes color if you flaunt the law. Much like a similar Waze feature, you won't have to wonder if you're going too fast.
Now it's easy to order food in Google Assistant, Search and Maps
Starting today, you'll be able to order food via Google Assistant, Search and Maps in the US. At the outset, Google is working with DoorDash, Postmates, Delivery.com, Slice and ChowNow, with support for Zuppler and more on the way.
Google Maps helps you find open EV charging stations in real time
From now on, you just have to fire up Google Maps if you need to hunt for an open EV charging station. The latest versions of Google Maps for Android, iOS and the web now show real-time availability for charging ports in the US and UK, giving you a better idea of when to go for a top-up -- you're no longer relegated to static info like before. The feature won't help you find a Tesla Supercharger (you don't really need that given Tesla's app), but it will cover the networks of Chargemaster, EVgo and SemaConnect, with Chargepoint coming soon.
Google Maps' AR adds navigation hints to the real world
Google Maps has made navigating unfamiliar cities on foot much easier than the days of pulling out a paper map — but it's not perfect. The blue dot that signifies where you are standing can vary wildly from your actual position because GPS is blocked by large buildings and your phone's compass is being thrown off by all the metal surrounding us in urban environments. Google thinks it has a solution: AR.
Google Maps' new commute tab plans every leg of your journey
When it's not debunking flat-earthers, Google Maps is busy pushing out updates. In the past few months alone, we've seen new groups, discovery and Yelp-style recommendation features (along with its arrival on Apple CarPlay thanks to iOS 12). Now, it's ready to give you even more granular data about your daily commute, all within a new tab. The new additions will allow for one-tap access to live traffic and transit information, plus Android notifications about delays and disruptions.
Google Maps now helps you plan group events
If you've ever tried to settle on a place to eat, you know how time-consuming it can be. If you're not trying to describe each and every restaurant, you're sending a flood of links. Google is making that simpler from now on. As promised back in May, it's rolling out a Group Planning feature on Google Maps for Android and iOS that helps you coordinate events with friends. When you've found places to go, you only have to press and hold to add it to a shortlist that stays on-screen as you find places. Once you're satisfied, you can both share the entire list on messaging services and vote on the choices from Maps itself.
Google Maps now zooms out to a globe instead of a flat Earth
Google is finished thinking two-dimensionally with Maps and now shows the Earth as a globe rather than a flat "Mercator" projection as before. You won't notice the change when you first open the app, but if you zoom out far enough, you'll eventually get a moon's-eye view of our world. That means you'll see the world in a more realistic way: "With 3D Globe Mode on Google Maps desktop, Greenland's projection is no longer the size of Africa," Google Maps said on Twitter.
