Google Maps now lets you control music while navigating

Switching between songs and albums can be a chore while you’re in a car and following Google Maps’ instructions on where to take a turn. Not only that — fiddling between the navigation app and the music app while driving is not the smartest idea and can be very dangerous. 

But an update to Google Maps software fixes this by letting you control Spotify, Apple Music and Google Play tunes from within the Maps app while in navigation mode. 

The feature, while minor, will likely be welcomed by many users; it’s just one of those things that makes your life simpler, though I’d like to see integration with other music apps as well. 

Spotify users on Android have it a little better than the rest, as they’ll be able to browse through songs, albums, podcasts, and playlists, Google said Monday. 

The other new Maps feature is the ability to plan your commutes in the new “commute” tab. Google will warn you of extra traffic and delays, and it’ll also recommend alternative routes if need be. Android users will also get notifications about delays and disruptions. 

Folks that have mixed-mode commutes — i.e., which use several modes of transportations within their commute — will now get useful information for each leg of their trip, including departure times for trains and walk times from a station to destination. 

Finally, Google has added real time positioning for buses and trains in 80 regions all over the globe. In Sydney, users get another useful feature: They’ll know how full their bus or train is before it arrives. This feature, Google says, will roll out to more cities worldwide “soon.” 

These new features are rolling out to iOS and Android users this week.