Google Maps Is Bringing Gemini to the Driver’s Seat
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While the debate between Apple Maps and Google Maps continues, iPhone users may soon have another reason to opt for Google on the road. Code strings found in the Google Maps iOS app hint that the search giant is preparing to unlock its Gemini AI assistant for CarPlay users.
Google added Gemini to Maps in March alongside a new Immersive Navigation feature that clearly borrowed a page from Apple’s playbook. Neither feature was available on CarPlay at launch, although Google promised that Immersive Navigation would eventually expand to the dashboard — not just CarPlay, but Android Auto and cars with Google built-in.
For the Gemini-powered “Ask Maps” button, however, Google said only that it was launching on mobile devices “with desktop coming soon.” Nevertheless, the new code references suggest CarPlay support might be just around the corner.
The snippets were found by MacRumors analyst Aaron Perris, who also shared them on X. They consist of strings that explicitly mention “CarPlay” while also providing instructions such as prompting users to open Google Maps on their phone to accept the terms of service when they try to use the feature via CarPlay for the first time.
As Google describes it, the new Ask Maps feature allows users to “ask anything about any place,” so it’s easy to see how it could be particularly useful for a hands-free driving experience. For instance, you could simply ask a natural language question to find the nearest gas station of your preferred brand — or even the lowest reported price — without the need to look at the screen and scroll through a list of less relevant options. The same would apply to EV charging stations, rest stops, and coffee shops.
It also appears that Google is baking more smarts into this than merely what you’ll find in Google Maps’ data. For example, two question the company cited in its announcement were “My phone is dying — where can I charge it without having to wait in a long line for coffee?” and “Is there a public tennis court with lights on that I can play at tonight?” Both of these would involve research and sifting through reviews, and that’s where Gemini does much of the heavy lifting.
So if you’re planning a trip, just ask: “I’m headed to the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Coral Dunes — any recommended stops along the way?” You’ll get clear directions, ETAs, and insider tips from real people, like how to find a hidden hiking trail or get a free entry ticket. To build your itinerary, Maps analyzes information from over 300 million places, including reviews from our community of more than 500 million contributors.
Miriam Daniel, VP & GM, Google Maps
While the code strings shared by Perris are focussed on CarPlay, it’s also safe to say it won’t be exclusive to that platform. Google undoubtedly also plans to bring it to Android Auto and its “Google built-in” platform at roughly the same time. Still, the mere presence of these code strings doesn’t mean it’s happening anytime soon; merely that Google is working on it.
It would also be a somewhat ironic twist for Gemini to come to Google Maps first, considering that the Gemini app remains conspicuously absent from CarPlay. However, that will likely also show up soon. Apple only opened up CarPlay to third-party AI chatbots last month in iOS 26.4, and ChatGPT jumped on board right away, followed by Perplexity and Grok, and it’s hard to imagine Google so easily ceding the dashboard to its competitors.
