Eyes on the road!
January 28, 2025 9:53 AM Subscribe
What's the best alternative to Google Maps for distraction-free navigation while driving?
Recently, Google Maps has introduced intrusive pop-ups that want me to answer questions by pressing buttons on the vehicle's touchscreen while I'm driving. For example: "Stalled Vehicle Reported. Still there?", and it wants me to click yes or no. The pop-ups persist for a bit if I refuse to take my hand off the steering wheel/eyes off the road to click on them. They also obscure the time and distance info for my route.
Fundamentally, I find these pop-ups to be annoying, distracting, and an unnecessary extra task load while I'm trying to safely operate a motor vehicle. As far as I can tell from my internet research, there is no setting that allows me to shut off the pop-up questions.
Google Maps also has other issues, mainly a bad habit of not properly explaining what turn to take in difficult intersections or complex highway situations. (For context, I'm in a major U.S. city.) It will routinely indicate a road name that doesn't match any signage. Or, when there are multiple nested exits in a row, it will actively direct me to the wrong exit until it's too late to change to the correct exit.
I tried Apple Maps and had a much better experience in some ways: no pop-up questions! Clear, accurate, human-friendly verbal navigation! However... Apple Maps has its own weird behavior in how it visually displays my route. I like to see my route in a traditional map orientation, zoomed in enough to clearly show any imminent upcoming turn(s). (By "traditional map orientation", I mean I want to see a flat, static map where "up" is north, not something that's constantly spinning around to match my perspective.) Apple Maps either zooms out to show the entire route (which isn't sufficiently granular to help with turns), or it progressively zooms in tighter and tighter as I approach my destination, to the point where eventually I just see a fat blue line and no map info.
So, my question: Is there a better navigation app? Or is there a setting to fix the weird scaling problems with Apple Maps? It's good if the app beeps to remind me of school zones, or has similar fairly non-intrusive safety-related features. (For instance, I wouldn't mind if Google Maps simply told me verbally about reports of a stalled vehicle ahead.) What I don't want is aggressive pop-ups that demand my attention, block other info, and request that I click on touchscreen while I'm driving. I also don't want the map to zoom in and out on its own.
Tl;dr I just want an app that shows my route in traditional map orientation, follows along with the route as I drive, and lets me choose a consistent and practical zoom setting. Help?
Recently, Google Maps has introduced intrusive pop-ups that want me to answer questions by pressing buttons on the vehicle's touchscreen while I'm driving. For example: "Stalled Vehicle Reported. Still there?", and it wants me to click yes or no. The pop-ups persist for a bit if I refuse to take my hand off the steering wheel/eyes off the road to click on them. They also obscure the time and distance info for my route.
Fundamentally, I find these pop-ups to be annoying, distracting, and an unnecessary extra task load while I'm trying to safely operate a motor vehicle. As far as I can tell from my internet research, there is no setting that allows me to shut off the pop-up questions.
Google Maps also has other issues, mainly a bad habit of not properly explaining what turn to take in difficult intersections or complex highway situations. (For context, I'm in a major U.S. city.) It will routinely indicate a road name that doesn't match any signage. Or, when there are multiple nested exits in a row, it will actively direct me to the wrong exit until it's too late to change to the correct exit.
I tried Apple Maps and had a much better experience in some ways: no pop-up questions! Clear, accurate, human-friendly verbal navigation! However... Apple Maps has its own weird behavior in how it visually displays my route. I like to see my route in a traditional map orientation, zoomed in enough to clearly show any imminent upcoming turn(s). (By "traditional map orientation", I mean I want to see a flat, static map where "up" is north, not something that's constantly spinning around to match my perspective.) Apple Maps either zooms out to show the entire route (which isn't sufficiently granular to help with turns), or it progressively zooms in tighter and tighter as I approach my destination, to the point where eventually I just see a fat blue line and no map info.
So, my question: Is there a better navigation app? Or is there a setting to fix the weird scaling problems with Apple Maps? It's good if the app beeps to remind me of school zones, or has similar fairly non-intrusive safety-related features. (For instance, I wouldn't mind if Google Maps simply told me verbally about reports of a stalled vehicle ahead.) What I don't want is aggressive pop-ups that demand my attention, block other info, and request that I click on touchscreen while I'm driving. I also don't want the map to zoom in and out on its own.
Tl;dr I just want an app that shows my route in traditional map orientation, follows along with the route as I drive, and lets me choose a consistent and practical zoom setting. Help?
To be clear, are you talking about a CarPlay app on your vehicle's screen, or are you using a phone mount and looking at your physical phone?
posted by wnissen at 10:20 AM on January 28 [2 favorites]
posted by wnissen at 10:20 AM on January 28 [2 favorites]
I use carplay to display my google maps and have had this issue too. I agree that it's really annoying, so thanks for asking this question.
posted by Art_Pot at 10:59 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]
posted by Art_Pot at 10:59 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: wnissen -- good clarification, thanks. I plug my iPhone into the vehicle and use CarPlay to display the navigation app on the vehicle's screen.
posted by cnidaria at 11:11 AM on January 28
posted by cnidaria at 11:11 AM on January 28
Response by poster: thanks, demi-octopus. I will check it out.
And that's another good point: I do prefer to have some sort of basic traffic info/route-planning based on traffic times. If there's no traffic info incorporated into route-planning, I can check traffic elsewhere -- but only if there's a reliable way to customize my route.
"Customize" meaning: I can fully adjust the route to my heart's desire (which you can't do on iOS Google Maps).
"Reliable" meaning: the app won't suddenly decide to override my route choice like Google Maps likes to suddenly do without warning, especially if I deviate at all from the planned route. (Chose a specific route option, then deviated slightly by taking a road one block away partway through your route because the traffic light pattern made it easier? Psych! You're now on a completely different route, headed to the worst stretch of local highway that you were trying to avoid!)
posted by cnidaria at 11:18 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]
And that's another good point: I do prefer to have some sort of basic traffic info/route-planning based on traffic times. If there's no traffic info incorporated into route-planning, I can check traffic elsewhere -- but only if there's a reliable way to customize my route.
"Customize" meaning: I can fully adjust the route to my heart's desire (which you can't do on iOS Google Maps).
"Reliable" meaning: the app won't suddenly decide to override my route choice like Google Maps likes to suddenly do without warning, especially if I deviate at all from the planned route. (Chose a specific route option, then deviated slightly by taking a road one block away partway through your route because the traffic light pattern made it easier? Psych! You're now on a completely different route, headed to the worst stretch of local highway that you were trying to avoid!)
posted by cnidaria at 11:18 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]
Apple Maps, though I much prefer it to Google Maps, definitely has similar popups for reported road hazards and speed checks. Also occasional suggestions for avoiding traffic. They go away on their own so I've learned to live with them unless I'm stopped at a light or with clear enough road ahead that I don't mind dismissing them myself, but I share your frustration with phone app features that block maps. That happens all the time for me with reminders I've set, or alarms, and those don't go away on their own. Driving focus mode ought to mute alarms and disable visual alerts that could obscure the map.
posted by emelenjr at 11:22 AM on January 28
posted by emelenjr at 11:22 AM on January 28
Perhaps WAZE? It's supposed to work with carplay.
posted by drossdragon at 11:24 AM on January 28
posted by drossdragon at 11:24 AM on January 28
WAZE is awesome, I only use it now given the annoying shit Apple Maps and google maps are doing.
posted by tristeza at 11:35 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]
posted by tristeza at 11:35 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]
I guess my probably unhelpful answer is “Google or Apple Maps but not through CarPlay.” We recently got a new car with CarPlay and I was excited to start using it... until I tried for a couple of weeks and quickly went back to using my phone directly in a dash-mounted holder.
The UIs of both Apple and Google Maps in their CarPlay implementations are just not nearly as flexible or usable as the phone-native versions. While some of the issues you cite are present on the phone as well, I think some of them may be CarPlay-specific.
I’ve thought about giving CarPlay another try with Waze, but I also find it feels much safer to glance a few degrees to the right with the road still in my field of vision than to look down at the car’s screen. Your car may be better designed in this regard.
posted by staggernation at 11:39 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]
The UIs of both Apple and Google Maps in their CarPlay implementations are just not nearly as flexible or usable as the phone-native versions. While some of the issues you cite are present on the phone as well, I think some of them may be CarPlay-specific.
I’ve thought about giving CarPlay another try with Waze, but I also find it feels much safer to glance a few degrees to the right with the road still in my field of vision than to look down at the car’s screen. Your car may be better designed in this regard.
posted by staggernation at 11:39 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You might prefer HERE.
posted by kickingtheground at 11:56 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]
posted by kickingtheground at 11:56 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]
Waze has essentially identical popups. It's also owned by Google.
posted by deadwax at 12:15 PM on January 28
posted by deadwax at 12:15 PM on January 28
Waze is where these pop ups started and bled into Google Maps - but you never have to answer these pop ups. Waze is worth a try and also mess with the settings to see if there is way to change the look so they don't block the info you want.
posted by soelo at 12:21 PM on January 28 [1 favorite]
posted by soelo at 12:21 PM on January 28 [1 favorite]
You can turn off the popups in Waze somehow. I remember doing it. And Google says you can.
Waze will still tell you to turn left without a light across four lanes of rush hour traffic. Apple maps is better about that.
Waze will also change the route on you randomly if it thinks the new route will save you 3 seconds of driving. One time it told me to exit the freeway, go straight through the stoplight at the bottom of the ramp, and get right back on the freeway on the other side. So annoying. If anybody knows how to make any of these apps lock in the originally advertised route, or only change route for a specified amount of time savings, please share!
On edit: Waze has better scaling of the route map than Apple, but I think you're probably stuck with the rotation mechanic.
posted by bluesky78987 at 2:38 PM on January 28 [1 favorite]
Waze will still tell you to turn left without a light across four lanes of rush hour traffic. Apple maps is better about that.
Waze will also change the route on you randomly if it thinks the new route will save you 3 seconds of driving. One time it told me to exit the freeway, go straight through the stoplight at the bottom of the ramp, and get right back on the freeway on the other side. So annoying. If anybody knows how to make any of these apps lock in the originally advertised route, or only change route for a specified amount of time savings, please share!
On edit: Waze has better scaling of the route map than Apple, but I think you're probably stuck with the rotation mechanic.
posted by bluesky78987 at 2:38 PM on January 28 [1 favorite]
Maybe it is just an Android thing, but I believe I can turn these pop up off. The toggle is in Settings -> Notifications -> Q&A and chat and is named "Your area, roads & trips".
posted by phil at 4:20 PM on January 28 [2 favorites]
posted by phil at 4:20 PM on January 28 [2 favorites]
Google bought Waze and has started implementing some features, but they are still very different apps.
posted by soelo at 4:57 PM on January 28
posted by soelo at 4:57 PM on January 28
You can change to 'North up' view by tapping on the compass symbol while navigating.
While you can mute the updates you don't like (speaker symbol at top right while navigating), that also mutes the directions - you can mute just the directions, but not just the alerts, which seems pretty stupid.
I've tried Apple maps and a couple of other 'offline' navigation apps (iPhone via CarPlay), but haven't found anything that's actually better. I often find the alerts useful, because they warn me of things like upcoming congestion, but can see how many people would just want them to shut up.
posted by dg at 10:15 PM on January 28
While you can mute the updates you don't like (speaker symbol at top right while navigating), that also mutes the directions - you can mute just the directions, but not just the alerts, which seems pretty stupid.
I've tried Apple maps and a couple of other 'offline' navigation apps (iPhone via CarPlay), but haven't found anything that's actually better. I often find the alerts useful, because they warn me of things like upcoming congestion, but can see how many people would just want them to shut up.
posted by dg at 10:15 PM on January 28
Best answer: You can turn off the pop ups in Google Maps. On iPhone it’s in Settings > Notifications > Google Maps > Google Maps Notification Settings
You’ve reminded me just how much I wanted to turn these off too so thanks!
posted by atlantica at 12:10 AM on January 29 [1 favorite]
You’ve reminded me just how much I wanted to turn these off too so thanks!
posted by atlantica at 12:10 AM on January 29 [1 favorite]
I've found Google Maps so annoying that I have deleted it from my phone.
I have tried various map apps and the iPhone's standard Maps app is easily my favorite. You can also disable notifications in that app via settings on the iPhone, but I've never had issues with the notifications giving me troubles. There is an option to "show compass" in Apple Maps but it's off by default and I have not tried it. Perhaps that might help with your issues?
I find Waze to be the most annoying of the major apps.
posted by SoberHighland at 9:39 AM on January 29
I have tried various map apps and the iPhone's standard Maps app is easily my favorite. You can also disable notifications in that app via settings on the iPhone, but I've never had issues with the notifications giving me troubles. There is an option to "show compass" in Apple Maps but it's off by default and I have not tried it. Perhaps that might help with your issues?
I find Waze to be the most annoying of the major apps.
posted by SoberHighland at 9:39 AM on January 29
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I'm very happy with it, but I don't use the traffic info so I cannot vouch for that part.
posted by demi-octopus at 9:59 AM on January 28 [1 favorite]