Danny Weber
06:50 05-11-2025
Google Maps Live Lane Guidance debuts on Polestar 4, using car's camera and onboard AI to highlight lanes and give timely prompts. Rolling out in US & Sweden.
Google has introduced a new Live Lane Guidance feature for Google Maps in Android Automotive, debuting on the Polestar 4. The technology effectively turns the car into a smartphone on wheels, allowing navigation to perceive the road much like the driver does.
The feature uses the Polestar 4’s front-facing camera, while on-board AI analyzes lane markings and traffic signs in real time and instantly blends that information into Google Maps. As a result, the driver receives precise, timely prompts: if the car is in the far-left lane but the exit is to the right, the system will remind the driver in advance to change lanes using voice and visual cues. It’s a practical use of the car’s existing hardware, aimed at making the cockpit feel more attentive and less demanding.
On the instrument cluster, Google Maps also shows permitted lanes, highlighting them in blue. This is especially helpful on unfamiliar routes, helping avoid missed exits and abrupt maneuvers. Live Lane Guidance will arrive on the Polestar 4 in the United States and Sweden in the coming months, and Google plans to expand support to other car models and road types afterward.
Andrew Foster, director of product management for Google Maps, said Polestar has been a key partner since 2020, when the Polestar 2 became the first car with Google preinstalled. He noted that the Polestar 4 would be the first to introduce Live Lane Guidance, and that the feature is intended to boost driver confidence and set a new standard for in-car navigation.
Sid Odedra, head of UI/UX at Polestar, said the new feature continues the company’s strategy of building a driver-focused interface, lowering stress at the wheel and improving safety by reducing missed turns and late lane changes.