Google Maps On Android Auto Is Getting Its Biggest Update In Years

Thanks to the app's continued development, Google Maps is packed with many handy features, which have made it more of a necessity whenever you're in a new city or are visiting a part of town you haven't been to before. It's such an essential app despite the existence of several excellent Google Maps alternatives like Waze and Polaris. For those who use Google Maps in Android Auto for navigation, Google has begun rolling out a new update to the app, which appears to be one of its biggest updates yet, if not the biggest on the platform.

The feature in question is Immersive Navigation, which gives you a 3D render of the road and the surrounding environment, further simplifying navigation while using the app in Android Auto. The update has already begun rolling out to some users and was first spotted by a Reddit user who stumbled across the new interface in July 2026 after updating to Android Auto version 17.3. 

Immersive Navigation displays a 3D render of the road and your environment along with your exact position, giving you a clear picture of the road ahead and its surroundings. The UI shows flyovers, buildings, lane markings on the highways, trees, the terrain, and even landmarks using 3D models. Those who use Google Maps instead of other popular navigation apps on Android Auto will certainly appreciate the feature, as it makes navigation more intuitive and easier to follow while driving. However, if you'd like to use Immersive Navigation, you'll have to be patient.

We first got the news of Immersive Navigation in March, when Google unveiled the update alongside Ask Maps, an AI-powered feature that you can ask anything about different places, and can also help you do some tasks like booking restaurant reservations. Following the announcement, Google started rolling out Immersive Navigation to CarPlay and Android Auto for a select number of users. 

Unfortunately, this update is rolling out gradually and seems that it's being pushed from the server-side, so updating your Android Auto to version 17.3 won't automatically give you access to the feature. Even some users who use the beta versions of Google Maps and Android Auto have reported not seeing the new UI. However, if you're in the U.S., you should be able to access the update in the near future, as it's coming to Google Maps on Android, Android Auto, CarPlay, iOS, and cars that ship with Google built-in. 

At the time of announcement, Google said Immersive Navigation will "expand over the coming months" to eligible devices. Now that it has begun rolling out to Android Auto, it's only a matter of time before every user in the U.S. can have it. For users in other regions, Google hasn't revealed plans for a global rollout of the feature yet as of this writing.