GOOGLE is set to release a clever new Maps upgrade that will solve a stressful parking issue for drivers – and it’s completely free.
The update can also help you beat the traffic and find your way in unfamiliar towns.
The changes are all to do with the introduction of the Destination Guidance system in the Maps service.
The new tech is set to revolutionise the function of the app, taking it beyond being used as simply a replacement for a sat nav.
Previously, like pretty much any navigation device, Maps would provide turn-by-turn directions to a selected destination.
Both Google Maps and sister app Waze then began to introduce features including roadworks warnings, police incident notifications and even alerts when there is an upcoming speed camera.
However, the new version of Maps will include a bundle of extra Destination Guidance features, designed to help drivers navigate areas with which they are unfamiliar.
These will include a function to highlight multi-storey car parks and unrestricted parking spaces in the area.
Never again will you have to cruise around for half an hour past residents’ only bays looking for a suitable stop-off.
Instead, all the information will be sent directly to your phone to find you the best parking options around.
Vacant spaces will be marked on the map graphic with a large P icon.
Maps can then guide you on the walk from your chosen spot to your final destination, so you won’t find yourself aimlessly wondering trying to find the town centre.
And if you can drive up to the door, the app can also help you locate the entrance to buildings like hotels or housing developments, with a large green arrow appearing on the screen.
Elsewhere in the update, Google is making it easier for drivers to report things like traffic jams and road closures, helping you skirt long queues and overstuffed roads.
You can choose to recalculate your route to avoid delays and get where you’re going in good time.
Google has not yet confirmed a release date, but the software is expected to roll out in the near future.
It will be available on Android and iOS devices and be automatically installed on in-car systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Similar changes will come to Waze, as well as a dedicated event reporting system, where drivers can flag up delays related to occasions like football matches or concerts.
It comes after a woman revealed how she was slapped with £11,000 in parking fines over a “ridiculous” five-minute rule – even though she paid for her ticket.
