Google today rolled out a number of updates for its Google Maps apps, including the ability to check the status of nearby Uber cars.
If you have the Uber app installed on your phone, the directions tab, which shows transit and walking options, will also tell you how long you'd have to wait for an Uber car in some cities. If you choose the Uber app, you'll jump into the Uber app to complete your request.
If you're sticking with public transit, meanwhile, the app will tell you when your next train or bus is scheduled to depart.
If you opt for Google's driving or walking directions, you can now save specific routes to view offline. If you're driving to a remote locale or hiking in an area with poor reception, you don't have to worry about losing access to the directions you searched for prior to your trip. Just select "Save map to use offline" and name it for easy access. Saved locations, meanwhile, will all sync across devices.
For those road trips that involve large highways, meanwhile, driving directions will now tell you which lane to stay in, so you don't miss a left exit or cut someone off making a last-minute lane change. A small overlay with each lane will appear, with the suggested lane in bold and the others shaded.
Google said lane guidance is available for highways and local roads in major metropolitan areas in the U.S., highways in Canada, and non-highway roads in Japan.
If you need to make a pit stop, Google has incorporated filters to help you find exactly what you want. Search for "coffee," for example, select list view, and then "Filter" and you can drill down by price, user rating, whether the place is open now, or if people in your Google+ Circles have recommended it.