One tool called Ask Maps will expand upon conversational abilities that Google brought to the service last November, giving suggestions to users looking for things such as nearby places to charge their devices, cafes with short lines or a detailed itinerary for a road trip involving several stops and excursions.

As someone who only passed my driver's test in 2009, long after the proliferation of GPS navigation, I do wonder how people managed to drive to any unfamiliar destination in the not-so-distant past — or at least, not without going everywhere accompanied ...

Over the tens of thousands of miles I've driven over the past few years, Google Maps has been my go-to navigation app. I've always liked its straightforward interface and the fact that I can also use it for walking and cycling, which Waze can't do.