Hands-on with Here WeGo’s Android Auto beta, your subsequent Google Maps different

A promising begin, minus a couple of velocity bumps

Google Maps is perhaps the default navigation service for many Android customers — and, if we’re being sincere, most iOS customers, too — however third-party map apps have come a great distance. Ever since Android Auto gained help for brand spanking new navigation apps, we have seen every part from ultra-localized GPS platforms to offline-first companies launched for vehicles. Here WeGo is likely one of the greatest Google Maps options on the Play Store, and with its newest beta replace, it lastly has help for in-dash shows.

Android Auto help is rolling out as a part of the Here WeGo v.4.4 beta, and I took it for a take a look at drive — actually. The app not too long ago debuted an all-new look, and whereas that model does carry over to the dashboard model, its UI additionally feels tailor-made for bigger screens. The most important menu provides you choices for shortcuts, collections, and not too long ago searched locations, or you may enter particular addresses and companies utilizing the built-in search bar.

Once I hit the highway, the general expertise was principally nice, though there’s loads of room for enchancment as Here continues improvement. Google Maps angles its maps in a selected method that lets you view oncoming roads whereas additionally maintaining a considerable amount of info within the background. HereWeGo goes for a top-down strategy, successfully exhibiting your icon shifting round on a flat floor. I believe it appears to be like fantastic in these images, however whenever you’re a number of toes away from the display — and it is angled off to your facet whilst you’re attempting to drive — the navigation UI feels too small. Turning instructions have been straightforward sufficient to see, however the map might use some work.

Since we have all taken some unsuitable turns right here and there, I additionally examined the way it dealt with redirecting me again onto my route. Although this expertise says extra in regards to the app’s mapping expertise than the Auto UI, it is a vital a part of any navigation platform. Unfortunately, I discovered redirection fairly disappointing. While a fast diversion on my method dwelling appropriately discovered a route, it instructed I take a unique facet road to get to my condo. When I drove down my traditional highway — one with fewer stops that runs parallel with the one it really useful — the GPS freaked out, telling me to drive a number of minutes out of my strategy to principally do one lengthy U-turn.

These points will be corrected with time, after all, as Here continues to work on each the Auto expertise and its navigation. It already has many of the options drivers would request in later variations, together with darkish themes, offline mode, route choices to keep away from highways and tolls, and even dashing alerts. With some primary UI tweaks, Here WeGo may simply be a stable different to Google Maps for drivers. If you already depend on the app in your each day commute, it is value grabbing the beta model to leap onto the Auto expertise.

Thanks: Girish

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