Is Google Maps compatible with Apple's CarPlay Dashboard mode

Originally, Apple locked the CarPlay navigation card to Apple Maps but once the iOS 13.4 update hit, it unlocked the feature for third-party developers as well. It was up to the app developers to implement dashboard support for their navigation apps. Google Maps is one of the most widely used navigation apps on CarPlay, so Google finally added this feature to its app at the end of 2020.

Maps and Dashboard

It took Google months to finally roll out its latest update that allows users to play or pause songs from their favourite media apps, check calendar entries without leaving Google Maps’ turn-by-turn navigation in their CarPlay Dashboard.

At the same time, Google has also rolled out an updated Apple Watch app for Maps, useful for those with pre-saved destinations like Home or Work, while others have the option to start navigating on their phones and continue on the Watch. In those cases, users can easily get step-by-step directions and estimated arrival times. 

Google Maps is the most widely used navigation app on CarPlay (reflecting its popularity on pretty much every other platform) mostly because of its rich feature set – and its head start. Apple Maps is catching up when it comes to some features, including small-city mapping data but it still has a long way to go.

If you want to read more on how to customize your Carplay dashboard click HERE