Google's been rolling out small but significant tweaks to Google Maps these past few weeks to address common headaches on the road, including a new option for reporting traffic incidents that other motorists can watch out for and offline maps support for WearOS. Now, the latest update to Android Auto streamlines lane guidance to make it easier to read at a glance than ever before.
Previously, Android Auto, a.k.a. Google's answer to Apple CarPlay, would display all available lanes and highlight the one you should use to get where you want to go. This meant that the lane guidance panel was cluttered with a lot of extra arrows scrunched together, adding confusion to the already stressful process of trying to find the correct exit to take when you're behind the wheel. Lanes would often overlap or appear too close together, making it hard to read and potentially taking drivers' attention off the road to decipher the directions.
As spotted by 9to5Google, a new Google Maps update aimed at Android Auto refines the experience with a more readable design. It subtly changes how lane guidance is displayed within the app, adding more distance between the arrows and spacing each lane indicator out to more accurately reflect their real-world positioning to each other.
The correct lane is highlighted while the other lanes are grayed out, and all of this is displayed in the top left corner of the screen, as you can see in the screenshot below.
Additionally, the lane information panel is now more consistent with the rest of the app's design, having been merged into the same block as directions rather than appearing underneath them in a smaller form.
While Google announced the previous Google Maps updates in a blog post, this one had a more low-key roll-out, likely because it's a relatively minor tweak. But though it's subtle, it improves navigation at a glance during one of the most consistently stressful periods on the road.
All these updates serve the same simple purpose: to make Google Maps more intuitive for a smoother ride. While these improvements aren't always the most front-facing or easy to spot, features like lane guidance are crucial for navigating unfamiliar routes, making this a welcome update even if you never notice the difference.
