Google adds real-time traffic routing to Maps for Android; aims to keep you out of jams

By on Mar 7, 2011 at 2:42 PM
Software March 7, 2011

Oh Google Maps, is there anything you can’t do? Via a blog post just moments ago, Google announced an incremental update to its Maps application for Android. The update, which is still technically in beta, brings real-time traffic routing right to your smartphone. “You don’t have to do anything to be routed around traffic; just start Navigation like you normally would, either from the Navigation app or from within Google Maps,” reads the announcement. “Before today, Navigation would choose whichever route was fastest, without taking current traffic conditions into account.” The software will work in both North America and Europe, and is waiting for you in the Android Market. Enjoy.

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  • Bringit

    unfortunately to use you also need to have an Android phone. No thanks.

    • Jake

      winning!

    • Anonymous

      Android phones are the most powerful computing devices in history!

      They are POST, POST PC devices!

      • Anonymous

        I’m going to have to disagree with you this one time. DROID is not post, post PC. It’s post iPhone/iPod/iPad. It’s the Nirvana of OSes.

      • Anonymous

        Oh, but I do agree, my oh relevant one! I am simply referring to the latest “term” being coined by the monsters in Cupertino, “Post PC” products. As we all know, Android is, undoubtedly POST, POST PC! And that in itself includes all the Apple crap which they consider Post PC (e.g. iPad, iPod, iPhone, iThis, etc.)

      • Generatione

        Now if they can only fix the scrolling lag and start supporting video chat. I mean come on – who comes out with video chat phones and doesn’t even support the hardware with its own software? And yes the third party apps don’t cut it.

      • Anonymous

        Uh…Yes they do cut it…they don’t need a fancy marketing term like “FaceTime” to work.

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6HpRLyzMY Walter Sobchak

      Maybe they will bring it to your iphone. They didn’t give you guys goggles.

    • Anonymous

      Haters gonna hate.

  • Anonymous

    It’ll also reroute you to drive by POI based off your previous searches & purchases.

    • Anonymous

      And Google testing a new app which will read your mind, know what you need to buy and direct your car to the cheapest location where you can buy it, INCLUDING gas (meaning, it will factor driving distance and calculate the price of the item with driving distance factored in!) Try that you Apple.

  • RudyH

    RIM should trade BBM for Google Maps

    I love Google Maps, but on 4.5 still

  • Max

    See if you can do this on your Blackberry, MORONS. Who needs apps, right?

  • Anonymous

    wow, i just explained this concept to one of my friends a month ago, he didn’t think it would be practical/ethical because it would mean everyone using gps would be sending their location to a database of everyone else’s location to determine traffic flow.

  • JoeDroidBionic

    is there anything Google cant do? Google+Droid DOES!!!!!!

  • JoeDroidBionic

    IOS is the limited kid on the block , it seems.

  • Anonymous

    i’m never leaving android

  • Anonymous

    i’m never leaving android

  • iPhone Guy

    I am closer and closer to getting a android phone just waiting for att to get the a good one.

  • Jwgizmo

    I wish they would work on her annoying voice

  • http://twitter.com/CTT_Services CTT

    Loving my Nexus one even more now! http://www.cttservices.com

  • http://twitter.com/TechButton Kyle Button

    I am looking forward to testing this out. We use Google Maps on our trips. Going through Chicago a few weeks ago this would have helped.

  • http://ryanb.pip.verisignlabs.com/ Ryan Beesley

    Not what this is about. Traffic has been viewable on Android since launch, the issue here is that Navigation will (not only provide turn-by-turn but will) automatically reroute you around congested traffic. It’s the one big thing that standalone GPS units like Tom Tom can do, but only with the correct data services. This is an obvious and welcome addition.

  • Anonymous

    I live in LA, and the dynamic routing saves me between 15 min to an hour of commute time every day,

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