Categories: Privacy

Google Maps Update Allows You to See How Bad Parking Is

We’ve all been there: you’re driving in circles in the parking lot while the minutes roll by and before you know it, you’re late and still haven’t found a parking spot. It’s annoying enough when this happens while you’re on your way to meet a friend, but there are worse consequences to being late to a business meeting or a doctor’s appointment. Luckily, a new feature on Google Maps can prepare you for parking difficulties and save you a headache in the long run.

The Google Maps update, available to Android users, indicates the level of parking difficulty at your destination. After putting in directions on the Google Maps app, you’ll notice a small “P” at the bottom of your screen next to the travel time and distance to your destination. The “P” icon indicates the level of parking difficulty that you may experience on arrival; the levels range from limited, to medium, to easy. The color of the “P” also changes from blue to red, with blue indicating Easy or Medium parking availability, while red indicates Difficult parking availability. In order to see more specifics about parking at your destination, you can swipe upwards on the screen, which will also reveal more detailed directions about your route.

The parking information provided on the update is based on Google’s historical parking data. This method works similarly to how Google calculates popular times and visit durations for businesses. Unfortunately, because the feature is based on historical data, it doesn’t update in real time, and the app doesn’t yet provide an estimate for how long it will take to find parking. However, anything to help save half an hour of stress is welcome in our book.

The app is currently available for 25 cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, San Diego, Phoenix, Sacramento, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Seattle, St. Louis, Orlando, Houston, Miami, Dallas/Fort Worth, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, DC, New York City, Boston, Portland, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Check out the update to better navigate your city.

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