Google Maps On Android Is Getting A Nearby Traffic Feature

Google is planning to roll out a feature to its navigation app, Google Maps, that will give commuters a real-time glance of the traffic conditions in their area. This feature aims to help commuters plan their journeys and routes based on the traffic conditions in the area that they are in.

In a blog post, Google explained that this feature will show traffic conditions for users’ current location right from their Android home screens. This widget will appear on users’ home screens in the form of a floating action button, which comes with dynamic colors that change with the real-time traffic conditions. It sits in the bottom-right corner of the home screen and lets users zoom in and zoom out without opening the Google Maps app.

“So if you’re about to leave home, work, school or anywhere else, you’ll know at a glance exactly what local traffic might be like. And because Android widgets are tappable, you can zoom in and out without opening the Maps app,” Google wrote in a blog post.

Regarding availability, Google, in its blog post, said that it will roll out this feature to Android users globally in the coming weeks.
Interestingly, this feature isn’t exactly new to Maps. Last year, the company rolled out a feature called ‘Know before you go’ on iOS and iPadOS that lets users check the latest traffic conditions along with a bunch of other details such as store opening times and restaurant reviews among other things. Google Maps’ Know Before You Go widget appears in a 1×1 square that shows a map of users’ current location along with the traffic layer.

It is important to note that Google Maps shows real-time traffic along with alternative routes as conditions change during the journey. Therefore, giving users real-time information about traffic conditions before they begin their journey seems to be the next logical step. Yet, it took Google a significant amount of time to introduce this feature. More so, for introducing the feature on Android instead of iOS, wherein it was introduced almost a year ago.