At first blush, using Google Maps to navigate your way to work and back might sound unneccessary: It’s probably the single route you know most intimately. But Google is giving its Android and iOS mappings app a bunch of features designed for commuters. They include:
- A new tab with live information about delays that might impact your trip.
- A mixed-mode feature that helps you plan multiple legs of a trip: driving, public transportation, and walking.
- The real-time location of buses and trains plotted on a map (in 80 cities) and a heads-up about how crowded they are (in Sydney, with more locales to come).
- Integration with Spotify, Google Play Music, and Apple Music, which lets you control music and podcasts within Maps rather than shuttling off to another app.