autoevolution
 

Android Auto Silently Updated with One of the Most Requested Features Ever

One of the biggest differences between Waze and Google Maps on Android Auto is that the first also shows the speed limit and the current speed, whereas the latter sticks with the basic and doesn’t display such information.
Speed limit in Google Maps on Android Auto 1 photo
Photo: reddit user ELIscientist
But as it turns out, Google Maps has recently been updated on Android Auto to show the speed limit for specific users, with a small new icon displayed in the lower right corner when driving to a user-defined destination.

If you’re not using Google Maps with Android Auto, you certainly don’t know how big this news is.

The speed limit has long been one of the most requested features in Android Auto, and in the last couple of years Google has conducted all kinds of experiments but never confirmed it wanted to make this happen.

For example, Google Maps was updated at one point with an indicator for the current speed, but this information was removed unexpectedly for a reason that wasn’t disclosed. Then, Google added this feature back, but only on smartphones, leaving Android Auto, where such information makes much more sense, without any indication regarding the current speed and the speed limit for a specific road.

Now it looks like the speed limit is back in testing, and if we’re lucky enough, it could be enabled for everyone in the coming weeks.

For the time being, however, it all seems to be just a very limited experiment that’s based on a server-side switch. So no, you can’t do anything to get it, as Google appears to randomly enable it for some users across the world.

In the meantime, Waze has both a current speed indicator and a speed limit on Android Auto, so you can use this until Google Maps gets the new feature for everyone.

We have reached out to Google for more information on the speed limit update and will update the article when and if we get an answer.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories