It looks like Google Maps is getting a nifty little update to personalization in directions: you can pick your car avatar in settings and have it replace where the blue navigation arrow would be.
Code snoopers who dug into a recent Android build say there’s now an option in the app’s “Your vehicles” menu that displays the familiar car icons away from active navigation.
Today you can change out the standard-issue blue arrow for a car, truck or hatchback only after you’ve already started a route. Relocating this option within settings would allow drivers to make the choice once and never think about it again, resulting in less tapping for a time when attention should be focused on the road.
What’s changing in Google Maps driving avatar settings
As of the most recent Google Maps beta version spied by testers (25.42.02.817770306), there’s a “Driving avatar” item in the “Your vehicles” interface, where you’d normally find fuel type preferences for eco-routing. Tapping that supposedly shows you the same avatar picker displayed during scrolling, but without starting a trip.
The feature seems to be hidden behind a server-side flag and isn’t available for everyone. Google has not announced this change, and as with all interface tests it may appear gradually, change, or fail testing and never ship.
Why it matters for safety and smoother driving flow
Little irritants tend to add up behind the wheel. If you have to pick an avatar before driving rather than on the route screen, there’s one fewer reason to poke at your phone as traffic inches along. That aligns with more general safety advice: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said thousands of roadway deaths are attributable to distraction each year, including 3,522 fatalities in distraction-affected crashes in 2021.
And not only is it safer, but it’s better ergonomics. Vehicle preferences are already saved within Google Maps — things like fuel type that can influence routing for an eco-friendly trip — so putting car icons there represents “set it once” comportment some users inherently prefer.
A fit with Google’s recent visual upgrades in Maps
Earlier in the year, Android users were also treated to even more detailed vehicle models and varied color options that iOS players have been enjoying for some time. A settings-based avatar pick makes sense as the next step here, elevating what was once a mid-trip novelty into a personalization choice that you can keep with you for future rides through different routes.
It also fits with Google’s emphasis of late on polish: richer 3D landmarks, refreshed map colors and clearer lane guidance have all been aimed at making navigation both more legible and more fun. Allowing users to choose a car icon in advance of each trip extends that ethos without mucking with the primary driving UI.
How it stacks up against rivals like Waze and Apple
Waze, a Google property, has long permitted pre-drive customization of the “Car icon,” including playful “moods.” Apple Maps does offer a few vehicle icons on iPhone, however. Adding avatar selection to the Google Maps settings closes one small but still notable convenience gap for those who want to set things up before they walk out the door.
If it’s account-attached — as so many Maps preferences are — it might even sync across devices, meaning you could pick the same avatar on your phone and have it greet you in Android Auto. That would align with the way fuel type and commute preferences already follow your profile.
Rollout timing and what Google Maps users can expect
Google has a tendency to test interface tweaks with small cohorts through server-side switches even when the version of the app remains unchanged. The fact that there’s a hidden “Driving avatar” setting means we know the plumbing is in place, just not when.
And for now, the pragmatic advice remains the same: You can continue to tap on the blue arrow icon on the navigation screen to choose another icon in mid-route. Assuming broader testing goes well, you can expect a future toggle in “Your vehicles” to move up avatar selection as a pre-drive step — less tapping when it matters and a dash of personality on every trip.