Better late than never: Google Maps in Android Auto finally show speed. But for now, few will see it

Drivers who rely on Android Auto in their cars previously had to look for the current speed on the dashboard gauge – Google Maps didn’t show it on the display. That’s changing now: a built-in speedometer has started appearing in the app. However, the rollout is very cautious.

What exactly is Google Maps showing now?

The new feature is a speedometer, which shows how fast you are currently driving. It’s not about displaying the speed limit – Google Maps in Android Auto has been able to do that since 2019.

The first reports were collected by 9to5Google from the Android Auto community on Reddit. The user who saw the speedometer is running a beta version of Google Maps and is reporting from Canada. However, the site’s editorial team also admits that they don’t see the feature on their devices yet.

This isn’t the only change Maps in Android Auto are freshly receiving. We recently wrote about spatial navigation with 3D buildings and terrain, which launched in mid-July – but so far only in the United States.

Why did the speedometer take so long?

The question is valid, as this is a feature that competitors have managed for years. Waze, a navigation app owned by Google itself, has offered a speedometer in Android Auto for a long time. On Android phones, Maps have also displayed current speed for ages – it was just missing from the in-car display.

Better late than never: Google Maps in Android Auto finally show speed. But for now, few will see it Adam Kurfürst News Adam Kurfürst News

Even more telling is the comparison with a competing platform. Apple CarPlay received the speedometer in Google Maps in July 2024, roughly two years earlier than Android Auto. Drivers had been requesting the feature on forums for a long time, but Google did not comment on it.

When will Czechs get the speedometer?

No one has given a specific date, and it’s unlikely they will specify one now. The rollout is happening gradually and on Google’s side, so you won’t speed it up by reinstalling the app or joining the beta program – even among testers, only a portion of people see it so far. Furthermore, only a handful of reports have appeared, suggesting that the rollout is just beginning.

For Czech drivers, there’s a simple piece of advice: don’t change anything and wait. The speedometer will appear in Maps automatically once Google enables the switch for local users. Whether this will happen in the same wave as elsewhere, or if the Czech Republic will have to wait longer, is not yet clear.

Do you miss the speedometer in Android Auto, or do you manage with the car’s dashboard gauge?

Sources: 9to5Google, Autoevolution