MapQuest, the oldest commercial web mapping service, is making a play for relevance again. According to Engadget, the company recently added beta support for Android Auto, positioning itself as an alternative to Google Maps and Apple Maps. The move follows a surge in interest after MapQuest declined to follow Apple and Google in changing how Lake Ontario appears to US map users, a decision the company says drove usage to 50 times its normal rate and generated over 1.5 million downloads.
To try the beta, Android users can join the MapQuest beta program on Google Play, update the app, and connect their phone to a compatible car. The app should appear on the dashboard alongside other mapping services; if not, users can enable it in Android Auto's launcher settings. The current feature set includes turn-by-turn navigation, real-time traffic, route optimization, search for gas stations and EV chargers, favorites, voice search, a speedometer, and crowdsourced incident reporting.
Engadget notes that initial feedback is mixed. Some users report app crashes, delayed responses, and voice prompts that cut off mid-sentence, plus interface quirks. Real-time features are also limited to the US and Canada for now. The publication points out that this is beta software and that MapQuest's developers appear to be actively patching issues, but drivers seeking a more polished experience may want to stick with Waze, Sygic, or TomTom Go for the time being.