With the arrival of iOS 12, it will be possible to use third-party navigation apps with Apple's smart car system
The announcement of iOS 12, Cupertino's new mobile operating system, has led to a major change in CarPlay, the car ecosystem designed by Apple. With the update being rolled out, you'll also be able to use Google Maps to get directions and suggestions on shortcuts.
With iOS 12, Apple has decided to make it available for its mobile devices to also integrate third-party developed maps for GPS navigation. This means that, for the first time with CarPlay, we won't have to forcefully use Apple Maps, until now the only service that can be used by synchronizing the car infotainment system with Apple smartphones. In short, this is a very important step that will allow users to have greater freedom of choice and move around using the navigation app they prefer.
How to put Google Maps on CarPlay
Adding Google Maps to our Car Play on iPhone or iPad is child's play. Until the release of iOS 11, Apple's smart car system didn't support the use of apps made by third parties while with iOS 12, this limitation has been lifted. To add Google Maps to CarPlay just open the App Store, download and install Google Maps. Once the procedure is finished, Google Maps will be automatically available in CarPlay. If, on the other hand, you already have the Google app installed on your iPhone, all you have to do is update Maps.
How Google Maps works on CarPlay
Google Maps on Car Play is very different from the classic mobile and desktop version. The interface is extremely minimalistic, to minimize distractions while driving. On the main screen there are only the settings icon and the microphone icon, and the button to type our destination. The microphone is a very safe choice because it allows us to perform voice searches. For example, if we have set a point X as home or office, we can say "Take me home" or "let's go to the office" and the app will automatically set the shortest route to those places without distracting us too much from driving.