Although Android Auto improves the experience of using a mobile phone behind the wheel for tasks that are useful to us while driving, there are still pending issues with its core applications (because they come standard). For example, report an accident, traffic jam or similar situation. This functionality is already available on Waze and is actually a differentiating factor, but not yet on Google Maps.

But its hours are numbered. After adding a new button to add stops to Google Maps in Android Auto and announcing the arrival of an incident reporting function, we finally got to see the new app in action. Incident notification system in Android Auto is about to see the light of day with widespread distribution. In fact, we’ve already seen it in action thanks to one user.

This is how the ‘Report Incidents’ feature works with Google Maps in Android Auto

A little context. That Incident reporting is a collaborative functionthat is, it comes about thanks to users and helps other people driving at that moment. So if someone encounters a traffic jam, a police checkpoint or an accident on the road and raises an alarm, others are warned to take extreme precautions or even avoid that route. We have already seen this in the Google Maps and Waze communities (note: both apps are owned by Google).

Google has announced that the new notification system will be implemented first in Android Auto in the United States, and while that official and public rollout isn’t known yet, for now, a user who found the news on Reddit has shared it. Accident reporting button at your fingertips and is perfectly integrated with the rest of the interface.

As seen in the image, a classic danger sign in the form of a yellow triangle and exclamation point appears next to icons such as settings, volume and compass. So, All you have to do is tap this button and a menu with options will appear. accident, traffic jam, works, closed lanes, etc., but probably corresponding to those of the mobile application, such as a stopped vehicle, an object on the road and a speed control. Thus, we were able to record the event on the road with two taps on the screen.

Given the great usefulness of this new feature, we hope it will happen sooner rather than later, as no date has been given for its widespread availability.

Cover | Montage by Luis with photo by Eva Rodríguez and Warning icons by Aranagraphics – Flaticon

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