Google Maps testing a potentially dangerous feature that may make you ditch it

Google Maps has started suggesting sponsored stops to drivers.

As X user Anthony Higman has shared, Google’s map app will not shy away from suggesting a quick detour to get you to visit one of the locations paying it to advertise on the app. Highman was asked to make a stop at Royal Farms, which is rated 2.9.

Apparently, these hangouts are suggested arbitrarily and don’t have anything to do with your search history, which is how online ads usually work.

As if we don’t have enough ads all around us already, be it in the form of billboards when we are on the road or on websites we frequent, Google has somehow decided it’s a good idea to blast ads into your face when you are driving.

Since the ads appear while you are driving, they are quite distracting and potentially dangerous. And from the looks of it, the popup doesn’t go away unless you tap on “Cancel” or “Add stop.” Given many people rely on audio instructions while driving, tempting them to interact with the screen could jeopardise their safety.

A sponsored ad in Google Maps in the middle of your journey could potentially cause you to lose sight of where you were supposed to be going, especially if you are a new or inexperienced driver.

Google seems to have lifted this bright idea from its subsidiary Waze, which is allegedly only supposed to show sponsored suggestions when your vehicle is not moving, but, as some users have observed, that’s not the case.

It’s not known whether this feature is in testing or is here to stay. Higman has already declared that he will stop using the app if he gets sponsored suggestions every time he is driving. Not everyone hates the feature though, with one X user mentioning that it could be a good way to discover new places to go to.