Google Maps Just Got Its Big Update for Android Auto — Here’s What’s New

Google has been rolling out small but significant changes to Google Maps over the past few weeks to address common issues on the road, including a new option to report traffic incidents that other drivers might be watching out for and offline map support for WearOS. Now, the latest update to Android Auto improves lane guidance to make it easier than ever to read at a glance.

Previously, Android Auto, Google’s answer to Apple CarPlay, would display all available lanes and highlight the one you needed to be in to get to your destination. This meant the lane guidance panel was cluttered with a bunch of extra arrows squeezed together, adding confusion to the already stressful process of trying to find the right exit when you’re behind the wheel. The lanes often overlapped or seemed too close together, making it difficult to read and potentially taking drivers’ attention off the road to decipher the directions.

As spotted by 9to5Google, the new Google Maps update for Android Auto improves the experience with a cleaner design. It subtly changes the way lane guidance is displayed in the app, increasing the distance between the arrows and spacing out each lane indicator to more accurately reflect their real-world location relative to each other.

The correct lane is highlighted, and the other lanes are grayed out. All of this is displayed in the upper left corner of the screen, as you can see in the screenshot below.

Screenshot of the updated lane assist user interface in Android Auto.

(Photo source: 9to5Google)

Additionally, the lane information panel is now more consistent with the rest of the app by combining it with the driving directions in the same block as the driving directions, rather than appearing below them in a smaller form.

While Google has announced previous Google Maps updates in a blog post , this one had a more discreet rollout, likely because it’s a relatively minor change. But while it’s subtle, it improves navigation at a glance during one of the most consistently stressful times on the road.

All of these updates have the same simple goal: to make Google Maps more intuitive so that driving is smoother. While these improvements aren’t always the most visible or easy to spot, features like lane guidance are crucial for navigating unfamiliar routes, making it a welcome update even if you’ll never notice the difference.