Motorcyclists in Malaysia will now have more accurate Google Maps navigation thanks to the introduction of ‘motorcycle mode’. This provides turn-by-turn navigation specifically designed for two-wheeled vehicles.
The difference between motorcycle mode and the regular car navigation is that there are some roads off limits to two-wheeled vehicles in Malaysia. For instance, motorcycles are banned from some highways; leading to different navigational routes. Motorcycles also travel at different speeds from cars, which changes travel time calculations.
Motorcycle mode is not necessarily something new from Google, having already been launched in India and Indonesia. The delay in rolling out the feature is due to the different challenges motorcycles face across countries. For instance, Malaysia is one of the few places with roads closed to motorcycle traffic.
All that said, Google does not recommend that motorcyclists use the feature for actual turn-by-turn navigation. Seeing that using a smartphone while riding is illegal and constitutes a safety hazard. Instead, the mode is intended to help create travel plans; with the user meant to stop along the way and refer to the route instead.
