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Google Fixes Essential Google Maps Feature, Ironically by Removing Part of It

Back in 2019 at its very own I/O developer event, Google announced the so-called Assistant Driving mode dashboard, a feature whose purpose was as simple as it could be.
The original version of the driving mode 7 photos
Photo: Google
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With Google Assistant integration, the driving mode was supposed to allow users to interact with their phones while driving, obviously while keeping the level of distraction as low as possible.

The Mountain View-based search giant, however, needed more time than it originally anticipated to make it happen, so in the meantime, it rolled out Android Auto for phones. As a mobile-optimized version of Android Auto, this new release was quite a hit, with users across the world falling in love with the way it looked and worked.

The demise of Android Auto for phones wasn’t necessarily received very well by its userbase, especially because the driving mode was considered a half-baked implementation. Originally offered as part of Google Maps and then moved to Google Assistant (but still closely tied to Google Maps), the driving mode was confusing and, in many ways, cluttered.

Now Google is finally fixing it.

The company announced earlier this year that the dashboard feature is going away, with the driving mode once again becoming a first-class citizen of Google Maps.

The transition started taking place earlier this month, with the dashboard being ditched in the favor of direct integration in Google Maps.

Thanks to this update, once you launch the driving mode, Google Maps is at the forefront of the entire experience. You no longer see the navigation app in a separate card, as it uses the full screen, while a dedicated bar at the bottom allows you to toggle between essential apps, such as music apps, phone calls, and messages.

Without a doubt, the driving mode is making a lot more sense now, but it still lags behind Android Auto for phones in one important regard. Because of the Google Maps integration, it is limited to, well, Google Maps, so what if users want to run Waze or a different navigation app?
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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.
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