Because more apps than Apple Maps consume that information. Your “never ask to turn it off” returns to the complete misunderstanding of how permissions work. You are not prompted because you already granted it access during provisioning, and it’s not asking for background data.

Your allegation that Google Maps is targeted with engineering and architectural decisions is not supported by public evidence and wholly refuted by internal evidence.

I helped build Apple Maps. Please consider yourself uninformed and ask more questions rather than draw conclusions that affirm your biases, particularly if you then come here to spread them.