Google Maps speedometer reaches Android Auto at last

Google Maps is finally starting to display a speedometer on Android Auto, closing a long-standing gap between the in-car version and the app on phones. The feature is rolling out slowly, though, and only a small number of drivers appear to have it so far, including users in Canada and India.

The first signs surfaced in test builds of the app, and 9to5Google later confirmed the change. Early reports suggest the feature depends on a specific beta version of Google Maps as well as a server-side flag, which explains why it has not appeared for all Android Auto users yet.

On-screen behavior is similar to what Google Maps already does on smartphones. A floating icon shows the car’s current speed next to the speed limit, and if the driver goes over the limit, the indicator first turns yellow and then red. If no route is active, Google Maps still shows the current speed, but without the limit marker.

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That makes Android Auto the last major platform where Google Maps knew how fast the car was moving but did not show it on screen. On Android smartphones, the speed display has been available since 2019. Waze had similar functionality even earlier, while Apple only added a speedometer to CarPlay in 2024.

For Google, this is a small but notable step toward making Maps behave more consistently across phone and car screens. The company has often introduced minor features through beta testing and remote activation rather than formal announcements or blog posts.

That matters because Android Auto is already widely deployed. According to estimates from Canalys and Counterpoint, tens of millions of cars with Android Auto or similar systems are sold globally each year. If this rollout avoids bugs, the speedometer will likely spread the same way other Google Maps server-side updates do: first to beta users, then gradually to regular builds, with no separate launch date.