Google Maps in CarPlay isn’t the dream you’ve been waiting for

[!meD]

If you’ve been using Apple Maps in CarPlay, you’re going to find that Google Maps and Waze look rather familiar. That’s because Apple imposes a lot of restrictions on the way CarPlay apps are allowed to look, so all of the information, buttons, and options are generally laid out in the same way across all three apps. Google Maps and Waze do have their own color schemes and some other app-specific features that aren’t available in Apple Maps, but the main interface and directions are presented in the same way as Apple’s app.

What you won’t find in either Google Maps or Waze is the ability to get directions via Siri, through a microphone button on your steering wheel, the Hey Siri voice command, or long-pressing the home button on the CarPlay screen. Apple limits Siri interactions to its own apps. So just like how you can’t ask Siri to play something in Spotify, you also can’t ask it to give you directions to your house in Google Maps.

That’s the first big frustration with using Google Maps or Waze because once you’re driving down the road, voice control is the primary way you’re able to interact with CarPlay apps. Doing so via a steering wheel button is extremely convenient. Google has built in its own voice control system to Google Maps and Waze, but to access it, you have to tap a button on the screen before issuing your command, which means you have to take your eyes off of the road for a second or two. The way around this is to program your destination before you start driving, but that’s not always possible. Google also provides one-tap buttons to frequent locations, such as home, work, saved places, and gas stations.