Google Maps adds police presence reporting feature

Multinational technology company, Google Maps has introduced a new feature allowing users to report police presence more easily, aiming to enhance the app’s utility for drivers.

Announced on Wednesday, this update is part of Google’s effort to make navigation safer and more efficient, though it still lacks the highly requested pause navigation option.

With the new Google Maps feature, drivers can now quickly report police presence, as well as other incidents like construction and lane closures.

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This crowdsourced data can help users avoid potential delays and adjust their routes accordingly.

Additionally, Google Maps will now highlight destinations more clearly, including building entrances and nearby parking lots, making it simpler to navigate unfamiliar areas.

Despite these enhancements, the frustration of Google Maps persistently re-routing users during pit stops remains unresolved. While drivers can exit navigation and restart it after a stop, or add the stop as a waypoint, these solutions require additional steps that can be cumbersome for those already focused on driving.

Google acknowledged the issue, pointing out that navigation will pause if a stop is added as a waypoint. However, for spontaneous stops, users are advised to end the trip and resume it after the detour.

This has led to a long-standing user demand for a more seamless pause function, a feature that is also absent in competing apps like Apple Maps and Waze.

In the tech industry, known for its focus on convenience and reducing friction, the absence of a pause navigation feature in such widely used apps remains a notable gap.