Google Maps Introduces AI-Powered Live Lane Guidance for Polestar 4 Electric Vehicles

Newest Polestar 4 AI Feature Promises to Stop You From Missing Your Exit

Polestar is integrating Google Maps' live lane guidance into the head-up display. Have you ever muttered the words, "Shoot, I was supposed to turn off there," while driving? I have. And so have many other drivers. But what if your car could let you know when you need to change lanes to make an exit? The feature uses Google's on-device artificial intelligence to understand exactly which lane the car is sitting in by reading lane markings, road signs and other visual cues through a forward-facing camera. This is fused with Google Maps navigation data to produce clear visual reminders and audio alerts when it's time to move over. Picture a four-lane freeway where your navigation says an exit is coming up in half a mile. Rather than glancing at a center screen or your smartphone in a holder and second-guessing a junction at the last moment, the lane layout appears right where your eyes already sit. Every lane for the chosen route is highlighted, and the system calls out the lane the car is currently in. If you're in the wrong lane, for example, the HUD immediately shows you and gives an audio nudge to move over, allowing you enough time to react. Instead of spotting the exit at the last second, you get a clear visual that says you're two lanes away from where you need to be, and you make the change long before the junction appears. It turns a potential last-minute scramble into a calm, early correction. While mistakes like this may not be common in areas you know well, they're all too easy to make in unfamiliar environments. Car and technology reviewer Mark Ellis says features like this would also be useful when you're driving in another country, and "are unaware of the road rules or disciplines." This new feature is a collaboration between Polestar and Google. The automotive brand is emphasizing that this is part of a long-standing commitment to make its UX calmer, safer and more predictable. Meanwhile, the search giant is framing the rollout as a benchmark moment for in-car navigation and AI. Polestar is the first auto brand to bring this version of the technology into a production vehicle. The brand's broader strategy has been to keep pushing over-the-air upgrades that add new features long after the car leaves the factory. The new live lane guidance system will begin to arrive through an over-the-air software update for Polestar 4 owners in the US and Sweden in the coming months. More markets and road types will follow.

Google Maps can tell Polestar 4 drivers when to merge lanes

Google Maps is rolling out live lane guidance to drivers of the Google-powered electric Polestar 4. The company announced Tuesday that the new feature relies on the EV's front-facing camera to "see" lane markings and road signs. That information feeds into Google Map's AI and provides the driver with customized audio and visual cues about merging lanes in real-time. Google gives an example of how this might play out. Say you're driving in the left lane of a US highway and your exit is up ahead on the right side. "With live lane guidance, just glance at your dash display to see exactly which lane you can be in at any given moment," Google says in a blog post. (Of course, you can also look at the road to figure out this information.) The live lane guidance feature in Maps can detect that you're several lanes to the left of your exit and remind you to merge in time. (The rest of your passengers might also remind you.) Polestar's vehicles use Google's built-in Android software to power their infotainment system. As such, Google has integrated other products into Polestar's cars in the past five years, such as Google Chrome and high-definition maps. "Live lane guidance continues the path of Polestar's driver centric UX strategy, reducing driver stress and improving safety by making missed exits and last-minute lane changes much less of a worry," Polestar's head of UX/UI Sid Odedra said in a statement. The new feature to Maps will exist alongside standard features like live traffic alerts and estimated drive times. For now, live lane guidance is only available to Polestar 4 cars with Google built-in and only in the US and Sweden, but the company says that it plans to roll out to more cars as it partners with other automakers. The company also says that it plans to add more road types in addition to highways.

Google Maps is adding live lane guidance for the Polestar 4

Google live lane guidance to Google Maps in cars with the company's infotainment system, starting with the . Using the vehicle's front-facing camera, Google Maps will be able to "see" the road just as the driver does. It will then create more detailed depictions of which lane a driver should be in and guide them using visual and audio cues. Google says the new feature uses AI to analyze lane markings and road signs, which it then integrates in real time with Google Maps' navigation system. Google paints a picture of fewer missed exits, as its navigation system reminds drivers in the left lane that their exit is coming up on the right side of the highway. Details are scarce on where exactly this will function. In Google's blog post announcing the feature, the company says it will expand live lane guidance to "more road types" in the future. We've reached out for clarification. Live lane guidance with Google Maps will be rolling out on the Polestar 4 in the US and Sweden over the coming months. Google says it will expand to include more cars in partnership with other automakers.

Google Maps gains advancements with AI-powered Live lane guidance

Google Maps is an invaluable tool, whether you're on foot, driving a car, or taking public transportation. And now, for cars that have Google built in, it's set to be an even more active navigation partner with AI-powered live lane guidance. It will be a welcome feature for drivers who tremble at the idea of traversing multi-lane highways alone. New guidance aims to simplify highway driving with real-time lane assistance With the feature enabled, Maps is able to "see" the road and its lanes like a driver, providing customized, real-time navigation help, as Google notes in the announcement blog post. Users will receive clear audio and visual cues indicating when to change lanes and alerting them to upcoming exits, avoiding last-minute maneuvering. Unlike conventional Google Maps directions, live lane guidance utilizes AI to analyze lane markings with the help of the car's front-facing camera. The real-time data is then instantaneously displayed on their Google Maps view. Polestar vehicles get a first look The first car to get live lane guidance will be the Polestar 4, with support rolling out in the US and Sweden in the coming months. The search giant promises that the feature will then expand to more road types and cars across regions. At Google I/O this year, the company announced that there are over 50 cars already with Google built-in, and more cars are notably coming throughout the year. The new navigation feature will join the dozens of new apps for enjoyment and entertainment when those cars are parked that Google announced earlier this year.

New Google Maps live lane guidance uses AI, camera on Android Automotive

Google Maps on Android Automotive ("Google built-in") is tapping into how modern vehicles are smartphones on wheels with a new live lane guidance capability for the Polestar 4. This essentially lets Google Maps "see" the road like a driver. Live lane guidance leverages the front-facing camera on the Polestar 4. Road signs and lane markings are analyzed by AI, with this real-time road information "instantly integrated with Google Maps' powerful navigation capabilities." This results in real-time navigation help like: "...if you're in the far left lane and your exit is on the right, live lane guidance automatically detects this and uses clear audio and visual cues to remind you to merge in time." Google Maps in the dashboard also notes which lanes you can be in with a blue highlight. Google positions this as being useful on unfamiliar highways, while Polestar wants to cut down on missed exits and last-minute lane changes. This is coming first to the Polestar 4 in the US and Sweden "in the coming months." Google Maps live lane guidance will "expand to more road types and cars in partnership with key automakers."

Google Maps navigation will soon know when you're in the wrong lane

OK, I'll move to the left lane. Thank you, Google. Credit: Google Maps Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation has made leaps and bounds since its humble beginnings back in 2009, but one thing was still missing: the ability to tell when you're in the wrong lane. Now, thanks to AI, Google has apparently solved that problem. On Tuesday, the company announced it will be launching live lane guidance in Google Maps soon, though with quite a few caveats. The feature will launch in Polestar 4 EVs in the U.S. and Sweden "in the coming months," Google said in a press release. The system uses AI smarts to analyze lane markings captured by the car's front-facing cameras, and then integrates that with Google Maps' navigation. In practice, the system will detect when you're in the wrong lane relative to where you want to go, and notify you to switch lanes via audio and video cues. It will only work on highways at first, though support for other road types is coming later. The company also said it will launch the feature in more cars in "partnership with key automakers," which probably means companies which have integrated Google UI into their cars, such as Polestar, Volvo, Honda, Nissan, and Ford, among others.

Google Maps will soon help you stay in the right lane

An AI-powered upgrade is bringing real-time lane guidance to cars with Google built-in. What's happened? Google Maps has announced a new feature that uses AI to guide drivers into the right lane. Google says Maps will be able to "see" the road and its lanes like a driver, allowing it to provide customized, real-time lane guidance. Designed for cars with Google built-in, the feature utilizes the front-facing camera to analyze lane markings. The lane markings data is paired with Google Maps' excellent navigation capabilities to offer clear audio and visual cues that ensure drivers safely merge into the correct lane. The feature is part of Google's broader effort to bring more AI features to Maps. The company is also preparing to integrate Gemini into the app for a more conversational, hands-free navigation experience. Why is this important? Live lane guidance marks a major leap forward in how Google Maps assists drivers, going from static GPS directions to real-time, camera-powered awareness of the road ahead. By combining AI vision with Maps' navigation data, it bridges the gap between standard turn-by-turn navigation and the kind of situational awareness drivers rely on. This feature will ensure fewer missed exits and last-minute lane changes, resulting in a safer driving experience, especially on multi-lane highways and complex junctions. Why should I care? If you've ever missed an exit on the highway because you were cruising in the farthest lane, this feature could be a game-changer. It will allow you to smoothly merge into the correct lane long before the exit, so you won't have to make any risky maneuvers. The feature will take the guesswork out of tricky junctions and highway merges, making long drives and road trips feel far less stressful. Recommended Videos What's next? The AI-powered live lane guidance feature will be available in the coming months on cars with Google built-in. The Polestar 4 will be the first model to receive this feature in the US and Sweden. Google plans to expand it to more road types and cars in partnership with key automakers.

Google Maps Is About to Get A Whole Lot Smarter With 'Live Lane Guidance'

It's become an unfortunate norm among automakers to promise new features first and then deliver them weeks or months later via software updates. And the execution is often lousy and imperfect. But Google's software prowess and the established Android Automotive OS ecosystem mean the upcoming 2026 Polestar 4 might skip the sluggishness of these over-the-air software updates -- and vastly improve navigation. The electric coupe-shaped crossover will debut Google's new Live Lane Guidance system for the first time in any vehicle. I drove the Polestar 4 in Austin, Texas, last week, but the feature wasn't yet active on our test cars. But Polestar today announced more about the feature, and it's quite intriguing. "The feature detects which lane the car is in by using Google's advanced AI in the vehicle to analyze elements on the road, like lane markings and road signs, captured by one of the forward-facing cameras in Polestar 4," Polestar officials said. In theory, it sounds genuinely useful. The system will generate a live visualization on the 10.2-inch instrument cluster, helping drivers stay in the correct lane when road layouts get complicated. If you're wandering off the route, the system will send audio and visual alerts to return to the correct lane. Typically, Google Maps relies on a top-down GPS view, supported by an internet connection for location accuracy and live traffic data. Live Lane Guidance adds a new layer to that, mixing camera input with AI to nudge the driver left or right if they've wandered into the wrong lane. It may seem like a small addition, but it can save you from missing an important exit or on-ramp. It can also be useful where GPS signals are often inaccurate, such as in Manhattan. Every time I drive there, GPS accuracy falters as skyscrapers block satellite signals. In New York City, at least, Google Maps also cannot tell whether I am on the flyover or the service road directly underneath. It could also be helpful on sprawling Texas highways, where a dozen lanes run parallel, and Maps can be just as confusing. By fusing camera vision and AI with GPS, the vehicle should better recognize complex road conditions. And if the system works as promised, it will likely push drivers to rely more on the vehicle's native navigation than on using Apple CarPlay, which is overwhelmingly popular among owners for its simplicity and better navigation. It will initially be available on select highways in Sweden and the U.S., before expanding to other markets and possibly other models, too. Still, for now it's just a promise. We'll see how it works when Polestar rolls it out "in the next couple of months."

Polestar 4 is the first EV to get Google Maps' new live lane guidance

Polestar is about to make staying on course and finding your exit on the highway a lot less stressful. The EV maker is rolling out Google Maps' new live lane guidance feature right onto the 10.2-inch driver display in the Polestar 4 - and it's the first car brand to do so. If you've ever missed an exit because you couldn't get over in time, this one's for you. Google Maps' feature uses in-car AI to determine exactly which lane you're in by analyzing road elements like road signs and lane markings from one of the Polestar 4's forward-facing cameras. Then, it gives you visual and audio reminders to change lanes in time. No more guesswork, no more "oh no, that was my exit" moments. You'll see every possible lane highlighted for your route, along with a clear indication of which one you're in. It's designed to calm the chaos of multi-lane driving, especially in rush-hour traffic or sprawling interchanges. Sid Odedra, Polestar's head of UI/UX, says of the company's latest collaboration with Google: "Live lane guidance continues the path of Polestar's driver-centric UX strategy, reducing driver stress and improving safety by making missed exits and last-minute lane changes much less of a worry." The feature is coming first to Polestar 4 drivers in the US and Sweden "in the coming months," via an over-the-air update. It'll hit more markets and road types after that. Google Maps' Andrew Foster says this is just the next chapter in a partnership that began with the Polestar 2 in 2020, when it became the first car to ship with Google-built-in software. "Now, Polestar 4 will be the first to integrate our groundbreaking live lane guidance, which will help people drive with even more confidence." The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you've ever considered going solar, now's the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it's free to use, and you won't get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Polestar Gets Really Sweet Google Maps Feature First

We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods. More info. Google is partnering with automakers to bring AI-powered live lane guidance to select vehicles. First to receive this feature will be buyers of the Polestar 4 in the US and Sweden. Utilizing the car's front-facing camera, AI will analyze lane markings and road signs, then with your position determined on a road, Google Maps can inform you if you're in the correct lane or not. As you travel down a road using navigation, the screen in front of you will ensure you stay in the correct lane and on the right path to your destination. Again, live lane guidance is coming first to Polestar 4 in the US and Sweden in the coming months. Google says it'll expand to more road types and cars in partnership with key automakers. Polestar 4s are up for order now if this feature sounds sweet to you.