Google Maps has reportedly started displaying estimated travel times to a user’s home location directly on the app’s main screen. At least one user has observed the “Home” suggestion chip, located below the search bar, showing a live travel time estimate.
The observation was first shared by Discord user winner00, who provided a screenshot of the new interface. The Home chip, which appears when a user is not at their saved home address, now contains a live travel time. The estimate is also color-coded, presumably to indicate traffic conditions, with an orange color in the shared example suggesting some traffic on the route. This is the first time a travel time has been reported within this specific chip.
This update builds on a previous change to Maps from earlier in the year, which began showing ETAs on the route planner screen before navigation is initiated. The function allows users who are familiar with their route home to quickly assess the drive time. With the travel duration visible on the main screen, a user can gauge if a trip will be longer than usual and then decide whether to start navigation to check for traffic or find alternative routes.
The status of the feature’s availability is not yet known. It is unclear whether Google is conducting a server-side test or beginning a limited rollout. The publication that first reported the change noted that its staff had not yet seen the update on their own devices.
