GoKawiilArtie Beaty/ZDNET
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET's key takeaways
Immersive Navigation is Maps' biggest visual upgrade in a decade.
Android Auto users can see 3D buildings, lanes, trees, and more.
The mode shows real building outlines.
Android Auto just rolled out a huge upgrade, and while it doesn't include any new functionality, it does provide one of the biggest visual upgrades to Google Maps I've ever seen. As someone who relies on Maps to drive nearly every day, I can attest the upgrade is a huge improvement.
Four months ago, Google announced the "biggest transformation of the (Maps) navigation experience in over a decade," known as Immersive Navigation. Android users have been slowly getting the feature over the last few months, and it looks like it's finally arriving on car dashboards.
Also: 3 Android Auto automations that make my drives much easier - and how I set them up
When I fired up Maps via Android Auto in my car recently, I didn't notice anything different at first because I live in a more rural area with not many buildings. But as I drove closer to more populated areas, I noticed the interface drastically improved. Instead of a flat, overhead, or slightly angled 2D view, Maps was 3D.
... continue reading