Google Maps has seen a lot of UI changes recently that some of us may consider superfluous, or at least not a high priority. But over the past few days, two really important features popped up in the app — speed trap cameras and speed limits while driving — and now there's a third addition. When you're retrieving driving directions, you can - finally - set your departure or arrival time and get an estimation of how long your route will take, via the route options menu.

Setting departure and arrival times has been available for a long time in Maps on the desktop for all modes of navigation, but on mobile, it was limited to public transport. Version 10.8.0 of Maps finally adds the option. You can find it under the overflow menu on the top right when you check any step-by-step directions. It's long overdue, and been high on the request list of features for the Maps app for years now.

Left: Maps 10.7.1. Right: Maps 10.8.0 adds a new "Set depart & arrive time." 

You can pick any date and time and get an estimation for how long your journey will take and when you'll arrive (if you set the departure) or when you should leave (if you set the arrival).

At this time, it doesn't seem like you can add a reminder or notification, so you won't be pestered to get going when you should. It's also impossible to keep monitoring the traffic situation, in case an unexpected jam changes your departure time drastically.

If those options are added, this feature would be a nice complement — and even a better replacement — to the Google app's reminders to leave that (sometimes) pop up when you have a calendar event with a set location and you're still far away.

You can check out the new feature in Google Maps v.10.8.0, which is available in beta on the Play Store and on APK Mirror.

Thanks: Moshe