Google Maps can now send destinations directly to more than 20 car brands worldwide

When we started the "Send-To-Car" service on Google Maps more than three years ago withBMW, only a few car makers offered connected services to their drivers. The industry has come a long way since then. Several car manufacturers have made industry-changing commitments to bringing connectivity to the majority, if not the entirety of their car line.

We see more and more cars with connected navigation and entertainment systems leaving the assembly line and the trend is here to stay. That's fantastic news for both drivers and the automotive industry.

The Google Maps Send-To-Car service has grown, and many car manufacturers have joined over time. Just recently, we announced Audi's connected car navigation system which includes Send-To-Car, and the Google Automotive team is thrilled to announce that we have extended the partner base of our Google Maps Send-To-Car service further to include Ford and GM.

As of today, drivers of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles in the US enabled with Ford SYNCcan now send business listings or addresses found on Google Maps directly to their cars.

(Photo credit: Ford)

In addition, millions of OnStar equipped GM vehicles can now make use of this innovative service. Great news if you own a Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab or Saturn! Check out this GM video to see the service in action:

Drivers can then use their car maker's turn-by-turn navigation system to be guided to their selected destination. With today’s additions, drivers can send destinations from Google Maps directly to their connected vehicles in 19 countries and more than 20 different brands.

In the US alone, Send-To-Car is now available on more than 15 car brands and we hope to see even more partners join us soon.

We think this is a great convenience for drivers - Prepare your route at your desk, send the destination to your car, and safely enjoy your ride - hands on the wheel, eyes on the road.

We also like to think that in the age of green driving, not having to print paper directions anymore is a great start of a green trip!

You can find more information on Send-to-Car on the Google Maps help center.

Drive safely!

Links to this post

  BMW, Audi, Ford, GM adopts “Send-To-Car” service: Google Maps ...

  Googland: [G] Google Maps can now send destinations directly to ...

  Google Maps Gets Integration With 20 Car Brands

  Google Maps Send-To-Car feature goes live on Ford SYNC systems ...

  Google Maps Send-To-Car feature goes live on Ford SYNC systems

  Google Maps Send-To-Car feature goes live on Ford SYNC systems ...

  Google Maps Send-To-Car feature goes live on Ford SYNC systems

  Site Devices » Google Maps Send-To-Car feature goes live on Ford ...

  dailywireless.org » Google Maps: Send-To-Car Expands

  SEO and Tech Daily: Google Maps - Now Available in 20 Car Brands

  Google Announces Partnerships with Ford and General Motors ...

  Wireless Blog : Blog Archive : Google Maps: Send-To-Car Expands

Nice Google Maps Tutorial

Google Maps Slider

Here is a great tutorial, with a working demo of a Google Map sidebar menu that scrolls the map when a user mouse-overs a menu item.

The menu slider demo was inspired by something similar used on the HitotokiGoogle Map. The tutorial uses jQuery but that isn't essential for the effect to work.

New Google Earth Imagery - July 14

It's only been 10 days since the last imagery update, and the next one appears to be upon us! Thanks to GEB reader 'Andreas' for being the first to let us know about it.

As is often the case, you can use Google Maps to determine for sure whether or not a specific area is fresh. This new imagery isn't in Google Maps yet, so you can compare Earth vs. Maps to see what's new; the fresh imagery is already in Google Earth, but the old imagery is still in Google Maps. If you compare the two side-by-side and they're not identical, that means that you've found a freshly updated area in Google Earth!

Ogle Earth on the radio

On the occasion of Google Maps and Google Earth's 5th anniversary, CBC-Radio Canada's show The Current broadcast a 20-minute segment on the geopolitical impact of these revolutionary new maps over the past few years. The host Jim Brown interviews me and Michael Frank Goodchild, Professor of Geography at UC Santa Barbara.

Listen along at the link above, or download the mp3.

It turned out to be a fun show, with the host focusing on the day that Googleaccidentally showed Indian-administered Arunachal Pradesh as being Chinese, and the fallout from that errror.

links for 2010-07-15

Apple acquires web mapping firm Poly9, probably has something up its sleeve -- Engadget

Poly9's product "Poly9 Globe" is self-described as a "cross-browser, cross-platform 3D globe which does not require any download." I suspect it is more of a presentation tool, though, and thus would improve on the maps currently in iMovie (which lack Great Circle animations between places!).

Still, who know what it might turn into when connected to Placebase, the other mapping company Apple has bought recently (though neither seems to have direct access to a repository of high resolution imagery, like Google and Microsoft have). I'll bet on one thing, though: Whatever comes out of this acquisition, it won't require Flash to run:-)

One more thought: The more 3D globes the merrier — Google Earth and 3D Google Maps have been at it all alone in the mainstream web mapping space ever since Microsoft abandoned its 3D virtual globe in the latest iteration of Bing Maps.