TL;DR
- We were able to activate a new Gemini integration in the latest Google Maps beta.
- Gemini will eventually replace the Google Assistant for hands-free control during navigation.
- The change isn’t live in any user-facing version of Maps, but we expect it could be coming soon in an update.
Google’s still engaged in a years-long project to replace the legacy Google Assistant with its newer Gemini AI assistant across its entire ecosystem. It looks like Google Maps navigation is next in line for that treatment.
Experimenting with version 25.41.03.815390258 beta of the Google Maps app, we were able to activate a new Gemini integration. When enabled, this integration sees Gemini respond when you tap the microphone icon in the top right corner of the navigation interface, rather than the the Google Assistant. This is the second in-progress Google Maps/Gemini integration we’ve spotted this week.