Google Maps Will Display EV Charger Availability In Time For Holiday Travel

Google on Wednesday unveiled a few new Google Maps features to help you make the most of the busy holiday season, which often involves plenty of traveling. Whether you're visiting family, planning city breaks, or simply navigating the city for specific items on your holiday shopping list, Google Maps can come in handy. It can help you explore a new location or navigate your home city more efficiently. That includes providing assistance with charging your electric car, a necessary step to keep you on the road.

Google

Starting next week, Google Maps will offer EV owners a big upgrade when it comes to charging their cars. The app will use AI to tell you how many chargers will be available at a specific location, supporting hundreds of thousands of charging stations worldwide. Google Maps already shows EV availability along your route, which can include specific networks (Tesla Superchargers, Electrify America, and others), but that's not good enough. The chargers might be in use by the time you stop to top up the battery. The new feature lets Google use AI to analyze historical data and predict whether your next EV charging stop will have free chargers by the time you get there. As seen above, that information will be displayed in Google Maps on Android Auto and cars with Google built-in.

Google Maps will also offer a few new features that will help you explore your surroundings with the help of Gemini, and leave reviews without worrying about your identity being exposed. The "know before you go" feature offers insider tips about specific places in Google Maps. Gemini extracts information from reviews and internet searches, and displays it under the place of interest you might be inspecting. Scroll to find the insider tips, which may detail the best way to book a reservation, identify a secret menu item, and offer additional handy information. The feature is rolling out on Android and iPhone in the U.S.

Google

The Explore tab in Google Maps has been updated to offer useful information when you're searching for nearby attractions. You can swipe up on the screen to find trending and popular activities near you. The Explore tab will also feature curated lists from Viator, Lonely Planet, and OpenTable. Local influencers are also quoted as trusted sources for the updated Explore tab. The feature will be available globally this month on Android and iPhone.

Google

Finally, Google is updating its Google Maps review system to make it easier for people to leave helpful reviews. Google Maps users can choose to replace their real name with a nickname and a specific profile picture. The example above shows a "Julia Sweets" nickname choice for a Google Maps user. However, Google noted that it's not compromising the security of Google Maps reviews. Google will still monitor for fake reviews, regardless of what identity is displayed publicly. The reviews feature is rolling out this month to Android, iPhone, and desktop users.