Since the end of last year, Google Maps has been testing a new driving mode with Google Assistant. Thanks to it, it wants to provide a completely renewed interface and improved performance thanks to the voice controls of the Assistant.
To test this driving mode it was necessary to be part of the accounts selected for the test and, in our case, we have activated this feature on several of our phones. Let’s tell you how it is and how this new driving mode works.
How to activate the driving mode from Google Maps?
Although the driving mode of Google Maps comes from the hand of Assistant, to activate this new mode it is necessary to do it from the Maps settings. Just follow these steps:
- Open Google Maps
- Go to ‘Navigation settings
- Click on ‘Manage driving mode’.
If you see this option, you have been selected to test this model. If you don’t see it, you will have to keep trying later, since you don’t have it active yet. Once you have this setting active, you will be able to activate the Driving Assistant every time you set a route.
How does the new Google Maps driving mode work?
With the new Google Maps driving mode based on Google Assistant, we have a new menu at the bottom that allows us to quickly open the applications compatible with this model. Among them, Spotify, Telegram, or basic system apps, such as calls and messages.
Although we have manual controls for all these functions, Google Assistant will manage calls and messages by itself, so we can accept or reject calls with our voice, so we don’t have to take our hands off the wheel.
Similarly, notifications are now muted by default, as they do not disturb mode is activated as soon as we open Google Assistant to drive.
Regarding navigation through applications, it is much more comfortable and quite large, with voice command suggestions while we are driving, so that we do not have to touch the screen.
In short, it a quite useful mode, designed to interact with the Assistant instead of touching the phone and that will eventually reach the rest of the users in the coming months.
