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Google Maps on Android Auto finally lets you report road hazards

It allows you to report various road hazards, including traffic jams, lane closures, crashes, and even speed traps. 

Car navigation showing route on GPS map.
Image: Google

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After years of requests, Google Maps for Android Auto has finally introduced a long-awaited incident reporting feature. It lets you report road problems such as accidents, traffic jams, and speed traps in real time. 

Until now, Android Auto users in the United States have been left without this feature, as it was available in other countries. While you can report problems using the Google Maps phone app, doing so while driving can be dangerous. 

And now, the company has finally rolled out the incident reporting tools, as many users on Reddit reported that the feature is now live on Google Maps on Android Auto. 

Incident reporting comes to Google Maps on Android Auto

intellidash pro gps mounted to a windshield showing android auto in use
Image: Joe Rice-Jones / KnowTechie

A few years ago, incident reporting was first added to Google Maps for mobile devices, but it remained limited to phones. Interestingly, while Google Maps for Apple CarPlay acquired this feature earlier this year, Android Auto users were left out. 

If available, a new triangle-shaped hazard button should now appear on your car’s display, directly beneath the compass in Google Maps. Tapping the button allows you to report various road hazards, including traffic jams, lane closures, crashes, and even speed traps. 

You may also receive prompts throughout your path asking you to confirm whether the reported issues are still present. However, there is a catch. This new button may not appear if your Android Auto setup does not provide Google Maps with adequate screen area. 

Folks at 9to5Google discovered that the hazard button was visible on a 105 DPI display using AAWireless but disappeared when the DPI was increased to 110.

It indicates that layout settings or screen size may influence its availability. We recommend that you adjust the screen settings accordingly to use the feature. 

Anyway, after years of requests for the feature to be released and more than two months after it was announced, Google Maps finally added incident reporting to Android Auto.

Have you been able to see this incident reporting feature on your Android Auto setup yet? Do you like it? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below, or hit us up on our Twitter or Facebook.

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Ronil is a Computer Engineer by education and a consumer technology writer by choice. Over the course of his professional career, his work has appeared in reputable publications like MakeUseOf, TechJunkie, GreenBot, and many more. When not working, you’ll find him at the gym breaking a new PR.

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