It can’t do anything to help you with massive bills at the gas pump, though
Google is all about connecting you with the information you need to make your life better, and so far Maps has been just packed with that sort of data: it warns you about traffic jams, speed traps, road closures, and can even find the most environmentally friendly route. But for all it’s been able to tell us, there’s been one glaring omission: tolls. We could tell Maps to avoid tolls for ages now, but Maps had no way to tell us what tolls might actually cost. Thankfully, that’s finally changing, as toll prices start going live.
We first started seeing evidence that Maps was working on detailed toll data last summer, but it wasn’t until this April that Google formally announced the feature. While the company reported then that tolls would start appearing imminently, it’s only very recently that we’ve been seeing them for ourselves, starting with scattered reports last week, ahead of broader availability over the weekend. Today, Google signals to us that things really are going wide, with a new post confirming the availability of toll info.
Users in the US, India, Japan, and Indonesia will be the first to get toll data in Maps, and while Google says that more countries will follow soon, it hasn’t shared which. Access is also currently limited to Maps on Android and iOS devices, and we’ve yet to hear anything about bringing toll data to Maps on the web.
There are a few other limitations to keep in mind. For one, Maps doesn’t seem to show you the tolls for individual roads, and instead only computes a total for the complete route. We also notice that Maps says its figures are “estimates based on toll pass rates,” which sounds like it factors in E-ZPass-style transponder discounts — if you pay cash, and certainly if you drive a truck, trailer, or anything with extra axles, you’ll probably be paying even more.
Thanks: Moshe
