Google doesn’t tend to slack off for long when it comes to Google Maps updates, and users are spotting two new tweaks that have been quietly introduced in the Android app – covering electric vehicle navigation and identifying particular roads.
First up is the EV charging, as spotted by SmartDroid (via 9to5Google): in the Android app you can see nearby charging stations with a tap on the relevant filter button underneath the main search bar, at the top of the screen.
You need to have your car set as an electric car to see it though, which you can do from the Your vehicle option in Google Maps Settings. Gas is the default vehicle type, in which case you’ll see a quick link to gas stations instead.
A similar update was applied to Android Auto last year, so it now seems to have made its way to the Android app as well. Last month, Google announced some new AI-powered features for making it easier to get to an EV charging point.
Where we’re going, we do need roads
The second Google Maps tweak, again via SmartDroid and 9to5Google, will show you the entire length of a road highlighted in blue when you search for it. Previously, you just got a pin stuck in the middle of the road to help you find your way to it.
This gives you a bit of a better idea of the extent of a road you’re looking for – in terms of where it starts and ends, and how much space it takes up on the map. You can of course still navigate to any specific point on the road, should you need to.
Two fairly minor tweaks then, but they should both make Google Maps easier and more convenient to use. There’s no word yet on whether or not iOS is getting the same updates, but we’re presuming it will.
It’s set to be a big week for Google, with its Google I/O 2024 software developers event getting underway on Tuesday, May 14. We may well hear more about updates heading to Google Maps then, and you can watch live from wherever you happen to be.