Gemini is finally taking over navigation in Google Maps, replacing Google Assistant

Earlier this month, Google announced a massive Gemini upgrade for Maps, promising a smarter, more conversational co-pilot for your drives. Now, that update is finally hitting phones. As reported by 9to5Google, Gemini is beginning to roll out for all navigation modes in Google Maps, completely replacing the old Google Assistant experience.

How to know you have it

Visually, the change is subtle but distinct. The familiar four-color microphone icon in the top-right corner of the navigation screen is replaced by the Gemini spark icon. When you tap it (or use the “Hey Google” hotword, which still works), you’ll see a brief four-color ring animation that settles into a blue glow.

Crucially, this isn’t just for driving. The update applies to all navigation modes, including public transport, walking, and cycling.

A smarter, more capable co-pilot

This upgrade brings the full power of Gemini to your journey. Beyond basic commands like “Navigate home” or “Avoid tolls,” you can now have much more complex, multi-step conversations.

• Multi-step queries: You can ask things like, “Is there a budget-friendly restaurant with vegan options along my route… What’s parking like there?” and then simply say, “OK, let’s go there”.
• Conversational reporting: Reporting incidents is now much more natural. You can just say, “There’s a car breakdown causing congestion” or “There’s construction up ahead” without navigating menus.
• Full Assistant capabilities: Since this is the full Gemini experience, you can also ask it to “Summarize my latest emails,” check your calendar (“When’s my next meeting?”), or control your music.

The roll-out seems to be gradual, appearing on some Android and iOS devices starting today. So, if you don’t see the sparkle icon yet, keep an eye out—your new AI co-pilot is on the way.