Google Maps Navigates Android Users Around Traffic

Google Maps with Navigation, currently a beta product, provides turn-by-turn voice guided instructions to Android smartphone users and now the service will help calculate routes by taking into consideration traffic data. The new feature doesn’t require any setting changes or any action from the user, according to the Google Maps blog. All users would need to do is start the app, enter in their destination, and Google Maps will take into account current and historical traffic data to calculate the fastest possible route. Before, Google Maps would calculate the quickest route based on distance without considering traffic congestion.

Starting today, our routing algorithms will also apply our knowledge of current and historical traffic to select the fastest route from those alternates. That means that Navigation will automatically guide you along the best route given the current traffic conditions.

Additional routes will also be generated as well to give users options.

Traffic data and Navigation is now available to users in North America and Europe.