Your Future Destination

             Using new technology, Google Maps has developed a new feature called “Driving Mode” which recommends locations for users and predicts the time it will take the user to reach their destination. This new feature generates recommended destinations by analyzing places the user has already been as well as places the user frequently goes like their home and work office. In addition, Driving Mode is able to access what the user has recently searched on the Google search engine and uses that information to suggest where to go. Driving Mode provides the user with the quickest route, ETAs, traffic updates, road closures, and even nearby gas prices.

This article presents some major points that will change the future of both individual consumers and businesses. For consumers, this feature will decrease travel time and increase travel efficiency. Driving Mode will not only pick up on the consumers daily and weekly patterns but it will also inform the user on the best way to get there and which roads to avoid during travel. In addition, according to Antony Maina from Small Business Trends, small businesses will start using this app to keep track of business mileage for tax deduction purposes. However, this is just one example of the various ways businesses can utilize this feature for their benefit. This app can help all companies save time and money by reducing travel time and the amount of gas used. Another major point this article brings to attention is the fact that Driving Mode is only available to Android users. Because it is only available to Android users, this could negatively effect the sale of Apple products. Someone who is on the fence between Apple and Android will be more persuaded to purchase the Android due to the advanced technology it offers.

            However, these articles overlook a few important questions. The first question that came to my mind after reading was, when will non-Android users be able to use Driving Mode? Every article I have read has mentioned that it is only for Android users and there is no indication on when or if Apple users will ever be able to take advantage of this feature. Therefore making Android preferable to business employees until otherwise notified. Another point I noticed in these articles is that Driving Mode is only available in the U.S., United Arab Emirates, Great Britain, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore. However, these articles fail to mention if Driving Mode has plans on expanding worldwide and if there is a reason why it is currently only available in those certain countries. Lastly, these articles overlook the future of Driving Mode and whether it plans to continue to improve and advance or if the feature is completely finished.

Sources:

http://blogs.wsj.com/personal-technology/2016/01/13/google-maps-guesses-where-youre-headed-now/?mod=ST1

http://venturebeat.com/2016/01/13/google-maps-for-androids-new-driving-mode-guesses-where-you-want-to-go/

http://smallbiztrends.com/2016/01/google-maps-driving-mode.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/google-maps-new-driving-mode-android-how-to-activate-a6812786.html