Maps takes a step towards Gemini

Google scraps Maps feature for drivers

As more of Google's products approach Gemini, an assistant mode disappears from Google Maps.

Google has now officially announced that it has permanently removed Assistant Driving Mode from Google Maps. The feature, first introduced in 2019 for Android users who lacked Android Auto, already lost the majority of its functions in February 2024 and remained for a while with only a media control panel and a voice control button. The discontinuation of Assistant Driving Mode is part of the larger transition from Google Assistant to the new platform Gemini, which is now on its way to being implemented on several devices.