Expert reveals five Google Maps hidden features to make road trips easier and cheaper

With summer now in full swing, many people will be hitting the road, hoping for an uneventful trip. Before they set off, more than a few of those motorists will be reaching for Google Maps to make the journey go as smoothly as possible.

Being able to type in a destination and get the fastest route planned out for you, already takes a huge headache out of driving, however, the digital mapping system also has some lesser-known functions which could save you even more time and perhaps even money.

So, whether you’re travelling to the airport for a holiday abroad or heading out on a staycation, it’s worth making yourself familiar with a few of the added extras Google Maps has to offer.

If you are one of those people who uses the platform simply to navigate from A to B, there's a raft of other features you might be missing out on. Luckily, tech expert at Cartridge Save, Ian Cowley, has revealed some handy Google Maps features, just in time for your summer travels.

Google Maps tips for saving time and money on road trips

Using Google Maps offline

Using Google Maps can drain your mobile data, and you might lose signal, stopping navigation. However, you can download maps beforehand and navigate offline with ease.

"I hate getting caught out with no signal. Downloading maps beforehand means I can navigate offline, saving data and avoiding any nasty surprises," Ian says.

"Downloading maps is straightforward. Just search for your area or city, then tap the three dots in the top corner and choose 'Download offline map'. A blue box will appear, showing the area to be downloaded. Zoom or move it to cover what you need, then tap 'Download'."

Location sharing

If you've got someone waiting for you at your journey's end, or you want to let someone back home know you've arrived safely, then you can share your trip progress with Google Maps. Ian explains: "Once you've started navigating, swipe up the bottom menu and select 'Share trip progress'. This will send a link to your chosen contacts showing your location, route, and estimated arrival time."

Avoiding tolls, motorways, and ferries

Google Maps, by default, prioritises either the fastest or shortest route. However, this might take you on toll roads, ferries, or motorways, which could cost you more than the saved fuel or time. Fear not, Ian knows what to do to avoid any or all of these things.

“Just open the Settings menu and scroll down to 'Navigation settings'. There, you'll find 'Route options'. Here, you can choose to avoid any of these by toggling them on. Once done, return to the main screen to get your directions with your preferences applied."

Saving fuel

Google Maps can help you find the most fuel-efficient route for your car and it takes into account the type of fuel you use. “Just head into Settings and scroll down to Navigation settings. Scroll down this menu until you find 'Route options'. Below the toggles to avoid tolls and motorways, which we previously explained, there’s an option for 'Prefer fuel-efficient routes'."

"Note that this might be enabled by default, but be sure to pick your engine type (petrol, diesel, electric, or hybrid) as well. Different engines have varying efficiency depending on the road type," Ian added.

Saving your parking spot

At some point or another, you will likely not remember where exactly you parked your car. Luckily, this feature will save the location of your parking space and you can avoid an embarrassing moment.

“Once you've parked your car, simply tap the blue dot showing your location on the map. From the menu, select "Save parking". Google Maps will then plonk a yellow pin with a large P in the centre, marking your parking spot,” Ian explained. “The parking spot will be saved in your recent history, appearing at the top of the menu when you tap the search bar. You can just tap it and Google Maps will give the directions to take you there.”