Google Maps Send-To-Car Now Available on Ford and GM Vehicles

Google Maps Send-To-Car feature is now available for more than twenty car brands worldwide, including Ford and GM models. Google announced the addition of Ford SYNC and OnStar equipped GM models July 14th, adding to a list that already included Audi and BMW.

Originally launched in March 2007, Google Maps Send-To-Car feature allows users to create a route to a destination using Google Maps on their computer and then send that route to their vehicle to get turn-by-turn directions while on the road.

The idea behind the service is to make traveling easier, and reduce the amount of time someone might have to interact with an on-board GPS system. In general, it's much easier to look on your computer and built a route to a destination that it is to try to do the same on a GPS unit in your car. Google Maps allows you the option to add multiple destinations, look at your ultimate destination using street view, and even to adapt your route to use specific streets and highways. All of that can be done sitting in your home or office and using your full-sized computer keyboard and computer monitor, which is a dramatic improvement from tapping in requests on a small GPS interface.

The Send-To-Car feature originally only supported BMW models, with support for Audi arriving in December of last year. The addition of Ford SYNC and Onstar vehicles brings with it quite a few new car brands, bringing the overall list of supported brands in the US to over 15, with more expected to be added soon.

I for one am excited to see the service headed to vehicles that are not necessarily "premium" brands like BMW and Audi. Technology in the world in general is changing rapidly, and shouldn't be considered a "premium" service. Adding the availability of Send-To-Car to more affordable vehicles allows that technology to be used by more people, many of whom could benefit greatly from it.

Something like Send-To-Car could be an invaluable resource for someone such as a mother of three who is planning a family road trip but won't be able to focus on inputting GPS directions with all the kids in the car, or those who travel for business who want to build a route for their day ahead of time. The service allows for advance planning, which is something that is useful for everyone.

Have any of you used Google's Send-To-Car option? What do you think?