The new bus tracker, which works like ride-hailing or food delivery apps, lets users see a bus's journey in real time on their phone. According to the Department for Transport, the feature provides live information on bus location and arrival time. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said at a press conference that the tracker is set to end 'guessing' when buses will turn up. Sarah-Jayne Williams, Director of Geo Partnerships at Google Maps, added that the tech giant is giving 'millions of passengers the confidence to plan their journeys accurately' by integrating real-time bus information in England. The initiative began as a collaboration between the Department for Transport and Google, according to the department.
In addition to the bus tracker, Google Maps introduced two new AI features in March 2026: Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation, according to research from five sources. Ask Maps is a conversational AI feature that answers natural language questions about places, such as 'What's the best coffee shop near me?' or 'Plan a road trip from Denver to the Grand Canyon with stops at scenic viewpoints.' Google's blog post states that Ask Maps pulls from over 300 million places and community reviews. The feature can plan complex trips, like a Grand Canyon road trip with multiple stops, according to scrap.io. Personalization uses past searches, saved places, and activity inside Maps, Google's VP Miriam Daniel explained. Previously, Google Maps AI features did not work outside the US, according to research from five sources, but the new features are now available in multiple countries.
The tracker is set to end ‘guessing’ when buses will turn up.
Other updates to Google Maps include the integration of Waze alerts for accidents, roadblocks, and other hazards, according to research from five sources. Google Maps for iOS now allows users to change the car icon, and the app can book parking via SpotHero in the US and Canada, according to the same research. These additions aim to make the app more comprehensive for drivers.
Bus performance data reveals challenges in England's bus network. In London, average bus speeds dropped to 9.17mph in 2024-25, down from 10.27mph four years earlier, according to the latest City Hall data reported by major media. Nationally, around 80% of non-frequent buses in England ran on time in the year ending March 2025, based on government figures. However, punctuality varied widely between 61% and 98% when zooming in on different local authorities, according to major media reports.
The tech giant is giving ‘millions of passengers the confidence to plan their journeys accurately’ by integrating real-time bus information in England.
To support passengers, the government has blocked bus companies from increasing ticket prices until next year, according to major media. A £3 national bus fare cap will be in place on single fares in England outside London until March 2027, replacing the earlier £2 cap. In London, bus fares are frozen until July 5, 2026, with the pay-as-you-go fare costing £1.75 for an adult, which allows unlimited bus journeys for one hour from the first tap, according to major media.
Google Maps is also expanding real-time public transport data nationwide in Germany, according to research from five sources. The company has a cooperation with Delfi e.V. for real-time data, as announced by Delfi. The cooperation was tested during the 2024 European Football Championship, according to research from five sources. Additionally, Gemini is integrated into Google Maps in Germany for voice navigation and recommendations, according to research from five sources. This expansion brings AI-powered features to European users, though the exact geographic scope of features like Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation as of March 2026 remains unclear. Google Maps, which has over 2 billion monthly users, continues to evolve with AI and real-time data to improve travel planning worldwide.
The technology ends the need to 'stand and hope' for a bus.