Update: Google Maps has begun rolling out some of these features Fortunately for those who want to stay as far away from the crowds as possible, Google Maps is rolling out some new features to help you stay away from the crowds

Google Maps has updated its "Busyness" feature to allow users to avoid certain locations when they are the busiest The app is also expanding its integrated curbside pickup feature, allowing people to avoid stores no matter how crowded they are

For those who don't know, Google can tally how many people are in a particular location at a given time The numbers are not always accurate, but by mixing real-time and historical data, one can get an idea of how crowded a location is

This updated version is called "Area Congestion" and will be rolled out "just in time for this holiday season" The difference here is that Google Maps will be able to tell you how crowded an area or neighborhood is, rather than a specific business or location

Google Maps will highlight congested areas on the map and flag congested locations when a pin is dropped Additionally, like the original "Busyness" feature, there is a graph showing the number of people expected at any given time This is going to be especially helpful with the direct holiday shopping you need to do

Of course, if you have to go to a place like a supermarket during busy times, it helps to not have to go in and join the fray So after piloting the feature at a Fred Meyers store in Portland, Oregon, curbside pickup was a long-awaited rollout

Curbside Pickup on Google Maps is now available at over 2,000 Kroger, Fry's, Ralphs, and Marianos family stores in 30 states, including Marianos This feature allows customers to place orders and track their status from within Google Maps It can also send the estimated time of arrival to the store

Apparently this has been quite successful, and Google claims that people using this feature usually wait no more than five minutes

But that is not the only addition to Google Maps The app is also expanding its "Directory" tab to include the entire world, allowing users to search around large buildings like shopping malls, airports, and transit stations This allows users to see what stores and amenities are available and where they are located

Finally, a smaller feature is crowdsourced data on restaurant prices We all know that where we eat depends largely on how much we can afford to pay So Google Maps is updating its business pages to include other important information such as outdoor seating, delivery, curbside pickups, etc, and to show restaurants' price ranges at a glance

This is currently being rolled out in the US and should make it easier to figure out where you want to eat Or which local restaurants you can order food from to avoid other customers

All of these features are fairly trivial compared to Google Maps' main goal of getting you around, but they are the kind of features that give the app an edge over competitors like Apple Maps and Waze If you want to see what else you can do with Google Maps, be sure to check out our list of the best tips and tricks for Google Maps and try a few out