As much as I prefer Google Maps's routing functionality, this is one thing that admittedly Apple Maps gets right in its UI; when you open it, there's a map, a search box, and my search history.

Google Maps used to be that, until PMs took over pushing random new features. No, Google, I did not open your maps app so I could see "what's new", and have no desire to do that. Even the search history is broken -- it now uses some inscrutable logic to decide whether or not a previous search is worthy of inclusion into the past searches list.

Yes, I check traffic much often than looking for Food/Hotels/Groceries, but somehow the toggle for traffic is hidden behind a small layer icon, while Food/Hotels/Groceries occupy the top of the screen.

Well, Food/Hotels/Groceries is an ideal place to show ads - which is the primary actual purpose of Google Maps as far as Google is concerned.

It's amazing how Google employs all these super smart people and they end up doing stupid shit like that.

Not so super smart, then, are they?

Throughout all these comments i just hear George Carlin....'people that should be.....'

I like all the things in Google Maps that you disagree with. Maybe you're just not the target audience and should switch to an app that works better for your needs? Google Maps does automatically choose the better route if it finds one, but it gives you time to cancel that action if you'd like before it switches.

Settings are supposed to exist, despite what corner-cutting suits would like to believe.

Different people do have different needs, and it's clear that Google Maps attempts to reach a wide audience since it's both a map, business directory, and navigation service.

If it must ask, offer "always pick faster route" and "always follow planned route" buttons on first use and in a menu somewhere.

I mean always follow planned route kinda goes counter to the whole point of navigating with Google Maps. Google Maps uses live traffic data and user reports to determine the best route. I don't see why they would add these features and then offer an option to just ignore those features and instead use a fixed route. There are many other apps that offer that. Even just downloading a paper map off Mapquest would accomplish that similar goal.

I think we all know by now Google goes for the simply route that asks the least of a user. Google is well known for not providing much customization and basically forcing you to use it a certain way. And clearly this model works with the popularity they have. I know us powerusers don't always like this kind of thing, but for regular users this is the way that seems to work best.

As a fellow user of Google Maps, I'd gladly give up those features to make the roads a little safer. You have different priorities.

Yes but what I mentioned does not require any interaction, it still does change the route to a faster one without having to do anything. I don't see how that makes a difference in safety?

I am not worried about people using a GPS on the road, I am worried about the people I've seen who are scrolling through their social media feeds and watching videos that play in the feeds and everything. Or the people sending big text messages, the people who are having conversations with passengers and for some reason always have to look at the person to speak rather than keeping their eyes on the road, etc....

> Yes but what I mentioned does not require any interaction, it still does change the route to a faster one without having to do anything. I don't see how that makes a difference in safety?

It makes a difference for people (like myself) who very much don't want the route to change automatically. It means that some attention has to be paid to the app so you can tap the screen in time to make it stop, and it means that you have a time-limited action that you must perform. Two things that add to the cognitive load and distraction.

Yes, but the OP of this comment thread you tagged along on said they preferred it the other way:

> No, I don't need a pop-up if you want to reroute me around an accident. If it's faster - just reroute me, if it's not - don't.

That is what I am addressing. That it already does automatic rerouting without user interaction being required.

I disagree with using pop-ups during driving to make users discover those new features.

I don't actually hate the new features themselves.