Only just yesterday did I discover one of my favorite new iOS “features”.
iOS 18 Maps when navigating now shows speed limits even in overview mode. And not a single review I read or saw anywhere mentioned this at the time.
Before iOS 18 you only got speed limits displayed in turn-by-turn mode. If you preferred to navigate in overview mode, you had to give up on seeing those street signs displayed while you drive. Sure, you could switch to turn-by-turn and then back to overview mode just to check, but I was never able to find a Siri command to do that switch and manipulating your device while you drive is not safe (and in some states outright illegal). Well no more.
That feature is literally the only advantage my Honda’s Garmin-based navi package had over Apple Maps. To clarify, I’m surmising that’s in iOS 18.1. I was out on a mission today and my iOS 18.0.1 iPhone did not show speed limits in overview mode.
Is overview the Map mode? The speed has been there for awhile, at least iOS 17. Maybe it’s just not available everywhere?
What I would really love is a radar overlay! I’ve been in situations where I’ll be hitting heavy rain occasionally on a trip, sometimes so bad it’s better to stop for a few minutes. When I’m with someone I can have them keep the radar on their phone but it’s hard to do alone.
I’ll test it out tomorrow. I never use the turn by turn mode (to me, turn by turn is the screen with the directions written out). I always use the map and the speed limit shows up there. It comes in really handy on backroads where the speed limit changes often.
I believe what you call map is turn by turn mode. Overview mode is what you get if you hit the squiggly line icon at the top right of turn by turn view.
Oh boy, I don’t know which mode is called what. But yes I see the speed limit in the map as your picture shows. Though you have detailed bridges and I can’t say I’ve seen that!
Okay, seeing from a screenshot below that you are referring to Maps displayed on your iPhone. I’m viewing it through CarPlay on my dash display. It currently still behaves as in earlier versions, with no speed limit displayed in Overview and a speed limit displayed in Turn by Turn.
Odd thing: I’m so acclimated to making my iPhone the “brains” of my truck’s head unit that it slipped my mind there might not be feature parity with the standalone version of Maps!
I’m still firmly in Maps sans-CarPlay land here on this now 10-year old Prius.
I was trying to search the web for images of turn-by-turn mode vs. overview mode in Maps, but apparently nobody ever screenshots that — or my Google image search skills just stink (that’s probably it). I ended up finding just a screenshot of turn-by-turn mode and figured a big fat red arrow to the icon for overview mode was going to have to suffice.
It hadn’t even crossed my mind that when I say Maps navigation in a car, many people these days probably automatically think CarPlay. Just goes to show how easy it is for us to slip into “bubble vision” — is it fair to refer to tunnel vision as that when you’re caught in your own bubble?
It would be So easy for Apple to add the next step and allow the user to activate speeding alerts. My Australian navigation app - Metroview - has had this feature for more than a decade. It is especially useful when driving on unfamiliar roads.
Several years ago I assisted with a research project that analysed US crash data (electronic data recorders) and estimated crash outcomes if an involved vehicle had not been speeding. About one third of fatalities and serious injuries would not have occurred and one fifth of crashes would have been avoided altogether.
I don’t use CarPay either, so I never thought that you were ;) I replaced the unit in my car so I could have connectivity but didn’t feel the need to have CarPlay and am still happy with that decision.
I did test yesterday and on iOS 17, yes I am getting speed limits on the map but not in the text. I never use the text though so I never would have realized that was added until you said something!
Diane
Indeed, it feels like adding that at least as an option would be low hanging fruit.
IIUC, the EU mandates such warnings on new cars sold now, but from what I hear, there’s a lot of complaining from drivers about it. I’m not sure if that’s because it’s done in a very intrusive manner, or if people just don’t appreciate being reminded of their transgressions. Just ask any cop what the average driver thinks about being held accountable for their behavior.
I still think we’re not talking about the same thing.
I’m not sure what “text” you’re referring to — I assume perhaps the navigation listing? But I was never talking about that. I have no idea what happens there because I never use it.
I was talking about overview mode. That’s what you get when you hit the squiggly line icon at the top right of your map mode, see screenshot above.
Taught me something new and now “overview” makes sense!
I thought you meant the turn by turn text instructions you get when you click on the black bar on top. The bar that is giving you the next instruction.
In 2017 I helped run a seminar on “speed assist systems” in London. The participants set out the requirements for accurate, non-intrusive speed alerts.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, the EU did not follow this advice and we are stuck with systems that drivers want to disable. This is not helped by some vehicle manufacturers who seem to be opposed to helping drivers comply with speed limits by implementing difficult user interfaces.
That is one reason that I use the Metroview app in Australia. And it works with Carplay.
A general reminder for those using the speed limit shown by Apple Maps (or any other map app or built-in car display): these speed limits are not guaranteed to be accurate. Maps apps do not always have up-to-date data (especially when sections of roads have speed limits lowered) and in-dash vehicle speed limits which use the car’s cameras often get confused by other signs, such as those warning of an upcoming speed limit change.
All I have is a single anecdote, as I hired a car a few weeks back and it was this model year so had the speeding warning. It would play 3 soft tones when I went ~2–5mph over the speed limit. Seemed dependent on the limit, so in a 20mph zone the warning would go off around 22mph, but in a 60mph zone it was closer to 65mph. I personally didn’t find it intrusive, it was actually helpful a number of times. I tend to be looking ahead at the road, not staring at the speedometer, so I appreciated the warning.
… and as an aside, am I the only one annoyed by the fact that the speed limit indicator in Maps does not use the Highway Gothic font used for speed limit signs everywhere in the US and Canada (and a few other countries)?
I have submitted a request to Apple to allow Siri to switch between Overview and Turn-by-Turn views both in Maps and in Dashboard. I hope you do as well.
I ended up finding just a screenshot of turn-by-turn mode and figured a big fat red arrow to the icon for overview mode was going to have to suffice.
