Google Maps now showing speed limits in more US cities including NYC, LA

Ben Schoon | Jan 18 2019 - 7:26 am PT

The ability to show speed limits is a highly requested feature for Google Maps, but it’s never seen a wide rollout. After going live for the Bay Area as far back as 2016, it seems we’re finally seeing an expansion to a few more areas around the United States.

Noted by Android Police, users in some areas of the United States outside of the Bay Area are starting to see speed limit notices on their app during navigation. Tipsters from New York City, Los Angeles, and Minnesota are all seeing speed limits live in Google Maps navigation.

Why has this feature been so restricted in the past? Google hasn’t explicitly confirmed the reason why. It’s easy to infer, though, that Google uses the Bay Area as a testing grounds given the fact that the company is based there. Likely, it’s just a matter of having the data available.

Whatever the reason is, it seems Google is finally confident enough to start making it more widely available. It’s unclear right now if these first few cities are the only ones affected. It could be a server-side switch that will enable the feature on a much larger scale, or it could remain region-restricted, and just available in a few more areas.

Regardless, we’re glad to see it supported on a wider scale. If you happen to see the feature live on your device, drop a comment below and let us know.