Google Maps test displays traffic lights in some U.S. cities

After a recent Droid Life report revealed Google was adding traffic lights to the Maps app, the company has confirmed it’s working on the feature.

“To help people stay better informed on the road, we’re testing a Google Maps feature on Android that shows the location of traffic lights in select cities across the U.S.,” Google told The Verge in a statement.

Further, The Verge points out that this isn’t exactly new for Maps. Google Maps shows traffic lights in Japan and has done so for several years. However, this marks a significant expansion of the traffic lights feature and hopefully means Canada could be part of a future rollout.

For the moment, however, Google is testing the feature in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago. The company did tell The Verge it plans to expand over time.

It’s worth noting that Maps isn’t the only mapping software that considers traffic lights. Apple Maps gained traffic light locations in the U.S. with iOS 13 last year. Further, Siri will mention traffic lights when giving directions. For example, Siri will say, “turn left at the next traffic light,” which can make directions sound more natural.

While Google Maps doesn’t appear to be using traffic lights in its voice navigation system yet, the company could add similar settings in the future.

Image credit: Droid Life

Source: The Verge, Droid Life