Photo: autoevolution
For many people out there, Google working on two mobile navigation apps makes little sense, especially as both are available on Android and iOS while also offering Android Auto and CarPlay support.
Both Waze and Google Maps help drivers find faster routes to their destinations, though on the other hand, they are based on different concepts that sometimes make quite a big difference.
Waze, for instance, uses a crowdsourcing-based engine to alert drivers of things like speed traps, potholes, roadkill, traffic jams, and other road hazards that could slow them down. And thanks to this feature, Waze is often preferred over Google Maps, especially in crowded regions like urban areas.
On the other hand, Google sometimes improves these apps by copying each other’s features.
And this time, it’s Waze’s turn to get a new capability from Google Maps. Waze has announced support for EV charging stations in the United States, and thanks to a partnership with Volkswagen, it’s also bringing a new car icon in the app.
Users can therefore choose to “drive” with a Volkswagen ID.4 when navigating with Waze, though this update is mostly available only for a limited time.
As for the EV charging stations, they are available exclusively in the United States and add to the gas stations that have already been displayed for drivers in the country.
Google Maps, however, provides more advanced capabilities on this front, as it can also display the availability in real-time, therefore making it easier for drivers to figure out where they can recharge the battery of their car. This feature first debuted in Google Maps more than two years ago.
Waze hasn’t said anything about a possible expansion of this new feature, so if you were hoping to get EV charging station support in Europe, nobody knows exactly when if and if this is supposed to happen. Most likely, Waze does want to bring this new feature to everybody out there, though it could take a while until the charging stations across the world make their way to Waze.
Waze, for instance, uses a crowdsourcing-based engine to alert drivers of things like speed traps, potholes, roadkill, traffic jams, and other road hazards that could slow them down. And thanks to this feature, Waze is often preferred over Google Maps, especially in crowded regions like urban areas.
On the other hand, Google sometimes improves these apps by copying each other’s features.
And this time, it’s Waze’s turn to get a new capability from Google Maps. Waze has announced support for EV charging stations in the United States, and thanks to a partnership with Volkswagen, it’s also bringing a new car icon in the app.
Users can therefore choose to “drive” with a Volkswagen ID.4 when navigating with Waze, though this update is mostly available only for a limited time.
As for the EV charging stations, they are available exclusively in the United States and add to the gas stations that have already been displayed for drivers in the country.
Google Maps, however, provides more advanced capabilities on this front, as it can also display the availability in real-time, therefore making it easier for drivers to figure out where they can recharge the battery of their car. This feature first debuted in Google Maps more than two years ago.
Waze hasn’t said anything about a possible expansion of this new feature, so if you were hoping to get EV charging station support in Europe, nobody knows exactly when if and if this is supposed to happen. Most likely, Waze does want to bring this new feature to everybody out there, though it could take a while until the charging stations across the world make their way to Waze.
Google News