Google Maps ‘could soon let you know when taxi drivers take you on dodgy routes’
Most taxi users have occasionally had the suspicion that a taxi driver is taking a roundabout route to nudge the fare in an upwards direction.
But Google’s Maps app could soon offer automated alerts to warn users that a taxi driver is up to no good, after it tested the feature in India.
The ‘off route alerts’ warn riders that drivers have deviated from the quickest route, offering an alert when the driver has deviated 500 yards from the quickest route.
XDA Developers reports that the ‘Stay Safter’ function has rolled out in India, with users invited to select ‘off route alerts’ which provides, 'an alert if your taxi or ride goes off route'.
Google Maps recently rolled out a feature which shows highlights speed cameras - and offers an audio warning for drivers as they approach a speed trap.
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Google Maps shows the speed limit of the road drivers are on in the bottom left of the map, and shows speed traps as a small camera icon, Android Police reported
The feature was widely expected, as Google Maps users have been able to report the location of speed traps for some months - but they didn’t show up on the map.
The speed camera feature is rolling out in the UK, U.S., Australia, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, India, and Indonesia.
Google bought navigation app Waze in 2013 for $1 billion.
Waze maps show the location of speed cameras and traffic jams in real time.
The Israeli company uses satellite signals from members’ smartphones to generate maps and traffic data, which it then shares with other users, offering real-time traffic info.
