Google tests new safety features for Google Maps

Google’s excellent Maps app is currently being used as a navigation tool by many drivers in lieu of old fashioned sat navs. The firm is working on a feature to make it even more useful for drivers with off-route alerts.

In India, some users now have the option to set an alert to be notified if they deviate from the Google Maps route. For someone like me whose internal compass is pretty unreliable, this would be a useful tool to help stay on route. It’s more useful if you’re in a taxi or an Uber, where a deviation could be a shorter route or a trip to the start of a horror movie.

If it sounds like you’ve never heard of it, that’s because it’s not widespread yet. The feature seems to be exclusive to India so far, so it is likely a small test. As per Google’s previous modus operandi in these matters, expect a blog post when the firm chooses to roll it out alongside a smorgasbord of related features.

Via: XDA Developers