Next-Generation Google Maps Could Suggest Routes Based on Weather and Road Conditions

Google Maps can look for a route that allows drivers to reduce fuel consumption and cut emissions, taking into account more factors, including the road incline and traffic conditions.

The eco-friendly routing engine is already a fantastic addition to Google Maps. The Mountain View-based search giant says the feature reduced fuel emissions by the equivalent of taking 500,000 vehicles off the road, and the more it expands, the bigger its impact.

Now, the search firm is working on what could be another major update for the routing engine bundled with Google Maps.

A recently filed patent provides us with a glimpse into a routing system that looks for routes based on the road surface and weather conditions.

Google Maps' routing options allow users to include and exclude unpaved roads from suggested routes, along with other settings like tolls and ferries. The unpaved roads could often serve as shortcuts, allowing users to save time when they drive to their destinations. However, unpaved roads aren’t always the safest choice, so many users keep them disabled, sticking with paved routes for obvious routes.

Google looks ready to push this concept to a new level with its patent.

Called "weather and road surface type-based navigation directions," the new technology describes how Google Maps could analyze more factors when searching for routes, eventually displaying warnings to drivers before they begin the journey.

If your route includes an unpaved road, Google Maps displays the route, along with a warning that you'll have to leave the asphalt to arrive at your destination. However, the application also searches for alternatives that do not include unpaved roads, so Google Maps could also work in the standard mode available today.

The same approach would be used for routes whose navigation could be impacted by bad weather. For example, Google Maps would be able to anticipate heavy weather, which in turns could also affect road conditions and make the journey more difficult.

Google Maps would show warnings in the route preview screen to let you know that heavy rain is expected along the route, possibly causing dirt or mud. Google says the feature could help prevent vehicle damage or harm to the user. The company explains that due to the road conditions, the vehicle could get stuck in the mud, so by displaying a warning before the user begins the journey allows them to make an informed decision regarding the directions they'll use in Google Maps.

Eventually, Google Maps would also try to offer accurate ETAs based on all reported conditions. For example, if the application expects a driver to face heavy rain or reach an unpaved road, the traveling speed would drop significantly, eventually slowing them down. However, Google believes Google Maps can estimate the travel speed for each road section, including unpaved roads, offering a very accurate ETA.

Google is aiming for an approach that gives drivers the choice. It's an approach the search giant is already using for eco-friendly routes, so when drivers are provided with a route allowing them to reduce fuel consumption and cut emissions, they can also see how much time it'd add to their journey. If they’re not satisfied with the result, they can switch to the fastest route, which was the default option until the introduction of the eco-friendly engine.

The same strategy will be used for the new technology based on this patent. Google says Google Maps will display all routes to the driver but still allow them to choose which one to use to head to the destination. The user can compare the ETA and determine how much time they'd spent driving to the defined destination based on all suggestions.

It's important to remember that Google's proposed update is still in the patent stage, so it's not a certain thing for now. However, considering Google's increased focus on transforming Google Maps into a new-generation service, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the company pursuing this idea and promoting it to mass production.

Meanwhile, the company is also improving Google Maps on other fronts, including on Android Auto. Google Maps will soon receive a 3D update, providing users with a new mode when driving to a destination. The 3D buildings shown on Google Maps use a transparency effect specifically to avoid blocking the route, though Google could further refine it before it lands in the production channel.

Google Maps also gets EV routing thanks to a partnership between Google and Ford. Thanks to this update, Google Maps on Android Auto would access more vehicle information, including the battery range, eventually offering capabilities currently exclusive to Android Automotive. Google Maps would be able to monitor the range, automatically suggest charging stops, and estimate the battery left when arriving at the destination from the route generation screen. The feature will land in the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning with an OTA update later this year.