Google Maps will stop you getting caught for speeding thanks to update

Anyone who uses Google Maps to navigate will have noticed one downside to it over many separate GPS devices - it doesn't inform you about speed cameras.

Some American users have recently noticed that the app told them not only where speed cameras were, but also what the posted speed limit is.

That's helpful because we can all sometimes have a memory lapse and forget what the limit actually is. Breaking the speed limit will result in a fine and anywhere from three to twelve points on your licence.

According to Mashable users in the UK will get both speed camera warnings and be able to see the current speed limit on the road they are driving.

Not everyone will get this feature at first, but the roll out will eventually allow anyone to see the crucial safety information.

Most hardware devices from big manufacturers like TomTom and Garmin have a "safety camera warning" built in that informs drivers when they are at risk of being caught speeding, or hopping a red light.

The idea of safety cameras is, of course, safety. Knowing where they are is a key part of understanding what areas are more dangerous than others - as those are generally the places councils put speed cameras.

Google Maps is late to the party, with other apps like Waze offering a comprehensive service that not only tracks fixed cameras, but also allows drivers to report temporary cameras on their route.

Google owns Waze, a company it bought for more than $1 billion in 2015. However the bespoke drivers aid app has far more features than Google Maps, which offers only basic navigation.

Because of this ownership it should be reasonably easy for Google to take the information from the Waze database, so goodness knows why it has taken so long.