Google has been making small but significant tweaks to Google Maps over the past few weeks to address common headaches on the road, including a new option for reporting traffic accidents and offline map support for WearOS And now, with the latest update to Android Auto, lane guidance has been streamlined and is easier to see at a glance than ever before

Previously known as Google's answer to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto displayed all available lanes and highlighted the ones that should be used to get where you want to go As a result, the lane guidance panel was cluttered with many extra arrows, adding confusion to the otherwise stressful process of trying to find the correct exit when behind the wheel Lanes often overlapped or were too close together to be legible, potentially taking the driver's attention off the road to decipher the directions

As discovered by 9to5Google, the new Google Maps update for Android Auto refines the experience with a more readable design It subtly changes the way lane guidance is displayed in the app, increasing the distance between arrows and spacing each lane indicator to more accurately reflect their actual location relative to each other

The correct lane is highlighted and the other lanes are grayed out, all of which are shown in the upper left corner of the screen, as shown in the screenshot below

Additionally, the lane information panel is integrated into the same block as the directions, rather than appearing smaller below the directions, making it more consistent with the rest of the app's design

Google announced previous Google Maps updates in a blog post, but this update was a more modest development It does, however, improve navigation at a glance during one of the most consistently stressful times on the road, albeit subtle

All of these updates serve the same simple purpose While these improvements are not necessarily the most upfront or easy to find, features like lane guidance are so important for navigating unfamiliar routes that this update is a welcome one, even if you didn't notice the difference