- Google Maps gets AI-powered live lane guidance for your journeys
- You get hints on the screen if you are currently in the wrong lane
- The function will first come to the Polestar 4 in the US and Sweden
One of the hardest parts of getting from A to B on the road, especially in built-up areas and unfamiliar territory, is knowing which lane to be in – and Google Maps is improving this aspect of its navigation interface.
According to a post on its official blog, Google says AI-powered live lane guidance is coming to Google Maps. It will use the front-facing camera on the vehicle to see which lane you are in and tell you to move over if you need to.
“So if you’re in the far left lane and your exit is on the right, live lane guidance automatically detects this and uses clear audio and visual cues to remind you to merge in time,” explains Google.
The catch? It only works for cars with Google software built directly into the dashboard (so not Android Auto). The rollout will start with the Polestar 4 in the US and Sweden “in the coming months”, and no other cars have yet been named.
Less stress on the road
This is certainly a welcome upgrade, albeit one with limited availability for now. It seems that the pressure on the screen will be quite gentle, so they will not add to the stress of having to drive along difficult intersections and road networks.
Google Maps already offers a lot of lane guidance, both on phones and Android Auto, to show you which lane you should be in – but the advantage of the new system is that Google Maps will actually be able to tell if you are not where you should be.
Based on my own personal experience, the lane guidance that is already in Google Maps can sometimes be difficult to figure out, especially on roads where the lanes change at a fairly fast pace. Of course, you also have to keep an eye on the road at the same time.
To Google’s credit, Google Maps is one of those apps that regularly gets new features and improvements, including to the user interface. It also looks like a power-saving mode for navigation will be added in the near future.
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