Google Maps updated and now can ‘see’ the road: this is the new Live Lane Guidance feature

For the first time ever, Google Maps will be able to “see” the road. The navigation app is introducing a new artificial intelligence–driven feature that uses camera sensors to transform how drivers get directions. Named Live Lane Guidance, the tool will roll out in the coming months in the United States and Sweden – a significant leap forward in the fusion of software and car technology.

Until now, Google Maps relied solely on GPS and map data to guide drivers. That’s about to change. Through onboard cameras, sensors and the Gemini AI system, the app will now detect the vehicle’s current lane and provide real-time, highly accurate guidance when a lane change is needed.

Google describes the update as an “AI antidote to tedious navigation.” The goal is to make driving smoother on complex highways, where exits and lane shifts can easily lead to confusion or risky last-minute maneuvers.

How does Google Maps’ “smart lane” feature work?

Here’s how it works: if you’re driving in the left lane but your exit is approaching on the right, the system automatically recognizes your position and issues both visual and audio alerts to tell you when it’s time to switch lanes. According to Google, it feels like having a careful, intuitive co-pilot in the car.

The feature will first appear in vehicles with “Google built-in” – meaning those running Android Automotive as their native operating system. The first confirmed model to showcase the technology will be the Polestar 4, the electric car from the Swedish-Chinese brand.

Speaking to The Verge, Sid Odedra, Polestar’s head of user experience, said the feature reinforces the brand’s driver-focused design philosophy. Odedra explained that Live Lane Guidance is designed to reduce stress behind the wheel and improve safety by minimizing sudden lane changes and missed exits.

For now, Google will focus on highways, where signage is clearer and lane decisions are most critical. But this innovation hints at a broader future for navigation – one in which apps won’t just tell you where to go, but how to move through traffic with far greater precision and confidence.

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