Heads up, Android users, because an update to Google Maps is now rolling out with some pretty nifty new features in tow.
Perhaps the most notable new feature of Maps v9.19 is Driving Mode. Once you enable Driving Mode, Google Maps will use information from your location history and web searches to try and guess where you’re going without you entering your destinations. It’ll then provide traffic updates and ETAs.
The thing about Driving Mode is that at least right now, it’s kind of difficult to enable. You’ll need to get the “Driving notifications” and “Add Driving shortcut” toggles to appear in the “Navigation settings” portion of the app, but there’s no clear way on exactly how to make them appear. After poking around for awhile, the folks at Android Police say that for now, you’ll just have to poke around the app for yourself and try to get the settings to appear. Once they do, you can tap “Add Driving shortcut” to get a Driving Mode shortcut on your home screen that’ll launch you into Driving Mode. You’ll also get a “Start driving” option in the Maps slide-out navigation drawer.
Another feature of Maps v9.19 is a toggle in Navigation mode that’ll let you control the turn-by-turn voice instructions. The toggle appears in between the Search and Compass buttons and, when tapped, it’ll let you switch between Muted, Alerts Only, and Unmuted modes.
Finally, there’s a Timeline Settings feature in Maps v9.19 that includes a Web & App Activity toggle for controlling whether or not your app and search activity is saved to customize your in-app experiences. There’s also a Google Photos toggle that’ll determine whether Google Photos are shown in your timeline.
So yeah, this looks like a pretty significant Maps update. Driving Mode sounds super handy because it can feed you traffic info while you’re normally driving, without you having to enter a new destination for a place that you already know how to get to. The only issue is that it’s kind of difficult to enable right now, but I’m sure that that’s only temporary.
Maps v9.19 could take some time to appear on your phone, so be patient!
