Google Maps trialling new technology that will alert passengers when their taxi or ride-sharing driv

Google Maps is testing a new feature that will alert you if your taxi or ride-sharing driver begins to drive you off route. The new alert feature is designed to improve public safety when using taxi or ride-sharing services in unfamiliar towns and cities. 

According to a report by Trusted Reviews, Google will only let you know if you go off course by at least 500 metres. 

It's thought that the app will not alert you about a wrong turn, a minor reroute or a shortcut by your driver designed to avoid traffic, as long as the car remains on track to your destination. Normally when a driver begins an alternative route, Google Maps will adjust a reroute to accommodate, but with this new feature the journey does not get rerouted automatically. 

So in order for the drivers to avoid the alert being triggered, they will likely need to stay close to the original route set out by the app. The new alert feature is currently live in India, but is expected to hit the UK in the near future.  As reported, the move comes just after Google released a fresh update to its Android Q beta. The Android Q beta is a test ground for the next version of Google’s operating system, which is expected to launch alongside new Pixel 4 phones in October. 

Image: Source; Pixabay