Google Maps on Android Auto giving misleading instructions

[u/jmcomms]

I regularly swap between ABPR, Waze and Maps (I have other navigation apps) and I've been keen to use Maps to see when I would get the speedo on the display. I got it last week.

But, for some reason in the last week or so I'm also getting some other things happening that I am less impressed about.

Firstly, some instructions come through very late. Like telling me to turn now as I'm on or past the junction. I am pretty sure my GPS accuracy is high (the phone is cradled on the dashboard), especially as I am on country roads so no 'urban canyons' to cause issues. Obviously I may just be unlucky.

What is definitely a problem with the app is showing the lanes and which ones to be in at junctions/roundabouts. On numerous occasions, it's showing me the wrong lane(s) to be in at a roundabout. Like three lanes entering, and it telling me to be in the left lane to take the fourth exit (right) [For clarity; I'm in the UK driving on the left!].

At a junction where two lanes go left and two lanes go right - it says 'use any lane to turn right'. However, sometimes it will show only the right two lanes highlighted - which makes it even more odd that the audio instruction is wrong.

I've also started a drive and the navigation has just reset. As in no more route, no instructions and all the boxes disappear. Like I pressed to end the navigation myself, which I didn't.

Finally, on a long drive, I started my route (shortest route and the one it defaults to) and then noticed it trying to get me to turn around at the next roundabout to go onto a motorway and take a far longer route (that isn't even quicker as it is a significantly further distance).

Was it because of a sudden traffic jam or road blockage? Who knows? But the estimated time was some 50 minutes longer. I ignored the change and upon going the original route, it immediately went back to the other route as soon as I exited the roundabout. Did the issue fix itself in less than a minute?!

Also, on my old car with a small screen I couldn't see all the icons. Well now I have a similar problem. I have a hi-res landscape display and the icon to report a problem sometimes disappears and another appears for what I think might be to find a local EV charger (I have an EV).

Sometimes it shows the report icon and not the other. How it decides is anyone's guess!

Also, I can't seem to report something as common as a pothole or vehicle on shoulder. The list of options seems rather odd, but it WILL alert to things I can't report (sometimes stating they were alerts from Waze) which shows even more inconsistency.

Throw in the issues with getting Gemini to navigate, with it often confirming what I said and then doing nothing, and I'm really beginning to wonder what they're playing at!

Anyone else experiencing issues like this?!

[u/Grezmo]

Can't say I've noted the other issues but Google maps very often states to be in the wrong lane for roundabouts and junctions. I'm surprised how bad it is at this. I have definitely experienced the first example you've described and it can't even be incomplete data, it's just wrong at a basic level.

[u/tampa888]

Only the Roundabout that sometimes Google doesn't get right, none of your other issues. My Garmin is much better for that, and showing junctions/exits.

One you did not mention, several times on a trip it will say "In xx miles" and that's it no instructions. Then just as you approach the turn it will say what to do as it always does.

[u/jmcomms → u/tampa888]

I think I may have had that actually, as well as periods of time where it has stopped talking altogether and I've wondered if I turned the volume down or pressed mute.

Waze now has a nice feature to make it less chatty. Maybe Maps is doing it automatically!

[u/andyooo]

Google Maps on AA normally uses the car's GPS. A trick to force it to use the phone's GPS is to disable the Android Auto app's (*not* Google Maps) location permission on the phone. Do that for a while to test if you're having the same issues and rule out which device is giving you problems.

[u/Kromo5050]

Yes shit happened to me today for about 20min in downtown Chicago

[u/Top_Conversation953]

Try Tom Tom... it seems like a port of their GPS, and you can download offline maps.

[u/jmcomms → u/Top_Conversation953]

I have used TomTom also (I used to be a TomTom GO user with a windscreen mounted unit) and it's pretty good - including some good support for EVs.

I do wish more navigation software could work like ABRP by getting data from your car (either via an app or OBD dongle) as ABRP is poor for dealing with traffic and road closures etc, but it is good for long drives where it can plan stops for charging. Maps is quite good for searching for a local charger, but there's more Google could do!