Custom vehicle icons in Google Maps have started rolling out to a select few on Android

Summary

• Google Maps is testing out custom car icons with a very limited group of individuals.
• The feature was previously in testing on iOS, and now seems to be rolling out to Google Maps Local Guides on Android.
• Custom icons let you choose between five new car icons and eight colors.

Waze's seamless incident reporting made its way to Google Maps back in late-July, while incident reports from the Waze community began appearing for some within Google Maps earlier this month, blurring the lines between the two navigation apps operated by Google.

Last month, we even saw custom vehicle icons making their way to Google Maps, though they seemed to have rolled out to a very limited group of users on iOS. In similar fashion, the feature now seems to be making its way to Google Maps on Android, but immediate mileage may vary.

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Reports surrounding custom car icons are sparse, but we have at least one confirmed report of the feature being available with Google Maps Version 24.50.04.705335264 on Android. From the looks of it, the feature works identically to how it does on iOS, complete with a banner to let you know the feature has rolled out to you (first screenshot below). The feature's banner reads "You're getting early access to customize your vehicle icon's style & color," indicating that the feature will eventually make its way to users widely. When, though, is uncertain.

Likely limited to Google Maps Local Guides for now

It is likely that the feature is limited to Google Maps' Local Guides community, which consists of members who share their reviews, photos, and answer user questions on Google Maps.

If the feature has rolled out to you, you can begin customizing your Maps icon with a vehicle style and color of your choice. The way to handle customization, however, is a little convoluted. You'll have to first start a trip, which will surface the blue arrow icon that denotes your current location.

Tapping the icon will highlight all the new customization options, which include a sedan, an off-road truck, an SUV, a sports car, and a compact hatchback. On the other hand, color choices include Glacier white, Night black, Ash gray, Poppy red, Sky blue, Sunny yellow, Aqua green, and Sunset magenta. The blue arrow and the older car icons will still remain available for familiarity's sake.

Thanks: Moshe