Google Maps has introduced a new parking tool that automatically detects where you parked your vehicle and saves that location. The update also lets users highlight their parking spot with a custom icon.
Rio Akasaka, a Senior Product Manager for Google Maps, announced the feature on LinkedIn, and 9to5Google spotted the post. Akasaka said the tool lets Google Maps recognize when you have parked, automatically save the location, and remove it when you start driving again.
The feature is currently only available on iPhones, and it is unclear when, or if, an Android version will be launched.
Saving a parking spot in Google Maps is not new, but the automatic behavior is. Previously, users could manually save a parking location by tapping their location on the map and selecting “Saved Parking.” In that manual setup, the icon stays for 48 hours or disappears when you start driving.
Android has a similar parking feature, but the icon only disappears if the user removes it. This is the first time the tool has worked automatically.
A Google support page describes it this way: “To help you find where you left your car, Maps automatically saves your parking location. It stays saved for 48 hours unless you remove it or start driving.”
Requirements for the Feature
The automatic parking feature requires the user to be in the car and connected via USB, Bluetooth, or CarPlay. Akasaka said that once the user finishes driving, Google Maps shows a pin the next time the app is opened, describing it as “a personal parking Maps valet.”
Akasaka said the automatic parking spot saving started rolling out a month ago.
According to Akasaka, the automatic parking tool pairs with Google’s custom car icons, which can be used to change how a parking spot is marked. Previously, the marker was a simple “P.”
At launch, icon options include various vehicles, such as a purple sedan and a red 4×4 truck. Google has offered custom car icons in Maps since at least 2020. Earlier this year, Google added eight new car shapes and color options, and that update also extended custom car icons to Android Auto and CarPlay.
