Updated
Updated · Pocket-lint · Jul 14
Google Rolls Out 3D Immersive Navigation to Android Auto With Version 17.3
Updated
Updated · Pocket-lint · Jul 14

Google Rolls Out 3D Immersive Navigation to Android Auto With Version 17.3

3 articles · Updated · Pocket-lint · Jul 14

Summary

  • Android Auto users can now access Google Maps' Immersive Navigation, a 3D urban guidance mode that had been limited to phones since its March 2026 rollout.
  • Gemini-powered mapping combines Street View, aerial imagery and standard route data to show landmarks, crosswalks, overpasses and building entrances, while voice prompts shift from distance-based cues to landmark-style directions.
  • Android Auto 17.3 and the latest Google Maps are required, but access is still controlled server-side and may run poorly on phones that struggle with 3D graphics.
  • Major cities are the main target, with rural coverage unlikely at first; Google is pushing the feature as competition with Apple Maps intensifies, while CarPlay support still appears absent.

Insights

Is Google’s 3D Maps upgrade a sign its other navigation app, Waze, is being left behind?
Do photorealistic 3D maps make driving safer, or are they a beautiful new distraction for drivers?