Enable this feature now so that Google Maps for Android will work when you’re in a tunnel،
Driving inside a tunnel is often a problem for those using a GPS app to help them navigate due to the inability of signals to penetrate the tunnel. You might think that this doesn't really matter with a tunnel since there isn't much to do inside a tunnel other than follow the road. But there are other reasons, as Google points out in a support page. For example, staying connected in a tunnel allows location services to work, increases driver safety and gives them better visibility into what is happening inside the tunnel in real time.
Waze, owned by Google, connects to Bluetooth beacons inside tunnels in select cities such as “New York, Chicago, Paris, Rio, Brussels, Oslo, Sydney, Boston, Mexico, etc.” Google says: “The Waze Beacons program provides seamless navigation for underground drivers where GPS signals don't reach. » And now Google Maps will also support Bluetooth beacons according to SmartDroid (via 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Google).
The feature is disabled by default, but we'll walk you through how to enable it right now. First, to be clear, this feature is only available on Android phones and cannot be used with Google Maps for iOS. So from your android phone open Google Maps. Tap the round profile icon to the right of the search bar at the top of the phone. This opens a menu and you then have to press Settings > Navigation settings and scroll down to the Driving Options header, find Bluetooth Tunnel Beacons and enable them.
To use Bluetooth tunnel beacons on Google Maps for Android, you need to enable the feature
The listing says: “Look for Bluetooth tunnel beacons to improve location accuracy in tunnels. » Once the feature is enabled, you'll need to allow Google Maps to “find, connect, and determine the relative location of nearby devices.” It appears that this feature has been available to some Android users since last October, but has recently been found on more Android devices.
Follow the instructions in the previous paragraph to enable the feature and if you see the list titled “Bluetooth Tunnel Beacons”, that means the feature is available for Google Maps. It appears on my Pixel 6 Pro running Android 14 QPR2 Beta 3.
If you often go through tunnels and use a android phoneyou may want to take a second to enable this feature.
