The Biggest Navigation Software Updates of 2022

The boom recorded by the mobile industry brought a smartphone into everybody’s pockets, so today, it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t already have an iPhone or an Android device.

The hard work that Google and Apple have both put into improving their operating systems pushed the phones running them to completely new levels. With the addition of GPS sensors, faster cellular connectivity, and so many other new features, it was obviously just a matter of time until the likes of Google Maps and Waze eventually replaced the traditional GPS device.

This is why most drivers already use some sort of navigation app today, be it Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze, HERE Maps, TomTom GO Navigation, or Sygic’s GPS Navigation.

No matter what app they choose, the capabilities they are provided with are mostly similar. But on the other hand, the parent companies have invested billions in improving their software, and 2022 witnessed the debut of several important updates.

The eco-friendly routes in Google Maps

Announced in 2021 and released to most users in 2022, the eco-friendly routes in Google Maps are without a doubt one of the biggest updates for navigation apps this year.

The purpose is as simple as it could be: the eco-friendly routes provide users with an alternative to the fastest route to a defined destination, though the focus is completely different.

While by default Google Maps is supposed to help users reach their destinations as fast as possible, the new mode is actually trying to reduce the carbon footprint and improve fuel efficiency. To do this, it takes into account more factors for the routing system, including the road incline and how heavy the traffic is expected to be at the time of the journey.

Google says the new feature is already making a huge impact across the world. In the United States and Canada, the eco-friendly routing is believed to have helped save no more, no less than half a million metric tons of carbon emissions. This, Google says, is the equivalent of taking approximately 100,000 cars off the road.

The eco-friendly routes are gradually rolling out in more regions, so expect the expansion to continue in 2023 as well.

Google Maps immersive view

OK, I do know this isn’t a navigation feature per se, but on the other hand, it does help drivers prepare their journeys in a more efficient way.

The immersive view, which was announced by Google at I/O, is supposed to provide you with a glimpse at how a specific region looks at a certain time of day. To do this, it uses 3D modeling, as well as historical trends and estimates in an attempt to guess essential details, such as how busy a specific place is going to be.

The immersive view allows users to explore each region just like they’d be there, with the 3D models accurately reproducing what you see in real life.

“If you’re visiting San Francisco and want to visit Oracle Park, you’ll have all the information you need to plan your day. You’ll be able to see where the parking lots and entrances are and if the weather will be chilly on game day so you can bring a jacket. Need to find a bite to eat after the game? We make it easy to experience what restaurants are like nearby with the ability to glide down to street level, peek inside and know how busy it’ll be,” Google said.

Wrong-way driver warnings in Sygic GPS Navigation

Sygic continues to be one of the leading companies in the navigation software world, and just as expected, it’s also one of the names that are investing big in innovations.

And this year, Sygic came up with a brilliant idea. The company is now allowing users of GPS Navigation, its very own navigation solution, to report wrong-way drivers and therefore let others know that someone is going in the opposite direction.

Using a system similar to the one that’s powering Waze, the new feature is tackling one of the most awful problems on highways today. In some way or another, a worrying number of drivers end up going in the opposite direction on high-speed roads, so Sygic is trying to deal with this problem by making everybody aware of what’s happening.

Furthermore, if wrong-way drivers themselves are running Sygic’s software, they get a notification that provides guidance on how to stop on the side of the road safely. The biggest drawback is that Sygic’s software isn’t available with a freeware license, so if you want to get access to this innovative feature, you need to purchase a subscription. At this point, there’s no plan to bring it to users in a freeware application.