Google Maps Testing Detailed Road Markings in 4 U.S. Cities
New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, & Seattle
February 2023
As of mid February 2023, Google appears to be testing Apple Maps-style road markings in a number of U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle:
There are interesting differences between Google’s and Apple’s approaches. Google, for instance, denotes parking spots along roads, while Apple doesn’t. But Apple denotes areas marked as bus stops, while Google doesn’t:
Google’s implementation is also less refined than Apple’s. For instance, Google hasn’t altered the placement or styling of its one-way street directional arrows, which often contradict the road markings onscreen. On the screenshot above, notice how the one-way arrows contradict the turn markings in the center lane.
Meanwhile, Google’s cycling lanes are also less refined and differentiated than Apple’s: