Google Maps will warn you when dodgy taxi drivers take you off-route
GOOGLE MAPS has invented a new feature that will warn you if a rogue taxi driver is taking you off-route.
It could put a stop to conmen drivers who take passengers out of their way to rack up journey charges.
The "off-route alerts" will flag to users when you're sidetracked from a journey by more than 500 metres.
The feature was first revealed by tech site , who spotted it in the live version of Google Maps.
However, the feature appears to be stuck in "testing" right now, which means not everyone can use it.
But if it comes to Google Maps more generally, it could save Brits loads of cash.
First, simply select a journey you want to take when making a taxi ride.
Before you hit "Start", you'll see a new option called "Stay Safer" that you can press.
Inside you'll find another option to "get off-route alerts", which promises: "Get an alert if your taxi or ride goes off route."
When you start the journey, it will tell you if you're still on route.
And if you go off route by more than 500 metres, you'll receive an alert on your phone.
That would prompt you to ask your driver why you're going the wrong way – and whether or not the route can be corrected.
But if the feature became popular, it could put rogue drivers off from even trying to illicitly extend your trip in the first place.
How to see Google's map tracking everywhere you've been
Here's what you need to know...
There are several ways to check your own Google Location History.
The easiest way is to follow the link to the Google Maps Timeline page:
This lets you see exactly where you've been on a given day, even tracking your methods of travel and the times you were at certain locations.
Alternatively, if you've got the Google Maps app, launch it and press the hamburger icon – three horizontal lines stacked on top of each other.
Then go to the Your Timeline tab, which will show places you've previously visited on a given day.
If you've had Google Location History turned on for a few years without realising, this might be quite shocking.
Suddenly finding out that Google has an extremely detailed map of years of your real-world movements can seem creepy – so you might want to turn the feature off.
The good news is that it's possible to immediately turn Google Location History off at any time.
You can turn off Location History here:
However, to truly stop Google from tracking you, you'll also need to turn off Web & Activity Tracking.
You can see your tracked location markers here:
Unfortunately, these location markers are intermingled with a host of other information, so it's tricky to locate (and delete them).
To turn it off, simply click the above link then head to Activity Controls.
From there, you'll be able to turn off Web & Activity Tracking across all Google sites, apps and services.
Of course, some taxi drivers know shortcuts that can shave time off a Google Maps route, so don't immediately panic if you find yourself in cab going the wrong way.
And it'll probably get on the nerves of seasoned cabbies who will hate being second-guessed by phone-wielding Brits.
It's not clear when Google will roll the off-route alerts feature to all phones.
We've asked Google for comment and will update this story with any response.
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Do you think this Google Maps feature is a good idea? Let us know in the comments!
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