Google Maps Finally Tracking Speed Limits, Speed Traps

The next time you use Google Maps to plan a road trip, you might notice some changes. Maps is now providing live updates on posted speed limits across the United States. Previously, this feature was only available in San Francisco. However, other parts of the country started seeing the feature crop up late last week as Google updated local servers.

This author saw changes on the app as early as January 18th. Travelling a bit too far from major metropolitan hubs or major highways has proven coverage has not yet gone nationwide. Google says it hopes to soon remedy that by implementing the service across the United States, United Kingdom, and select parts of mainland Europe. Of course, if you don’t want to wait, Waze (also owned by Google) has had this feature available for years, and remains the more robust navigation platform.

With the new speed limit feature, drivers using Google Maps will see the posted speed limit of the road they’re driving on appear in the lower left side of the app — regardless of if they’re using Android Auto or not. Speed traps are highlighted by a small camera icon and shown clearly on the map. AndroidPolice, which announced the update before Google had the chance, also cites reports that Maps will provide an audible warning for drivers approaching a speed trap, though we didn’t notice this while maintaining the posted limit and found the service to be rather inconsistent. The app may only warn you if it thinks you’re coming in too hot.

Google has been on a quiet quest to make Maps as good as Waze, so expect more shared features to debut over the coming months. As the easiest-to-use popular navigation interface, any updates to Google Maps are welcome. However, for those still looking to get the most up to date information about the surrounding area, Waze is likely to remain the superior tool for some time.

[Image: Google]