Google Maps has launched a new feature that shows live petrol and diesel prices at UK forecourts, helping drivers find the cheapest fuel in their area. The feature went live on Thursday, October 8, as fuel costs continue to rise.
How the fuel price feature works
The data comes from the government's Fuel Finder scheme, which was introduced in Britain on February 2 after being launched by former chancellor Rachel Reeves. UK fuel stations are legally required to update their prices to Fuel Finder within 30 minutes of changing them.
Since the start of the year, drivers could access live petrol prices through third-party apps and comparison websites using Fuel Finder data. Now, motorists can see the costs directly on Google Maps while driving.
Fuel prices on the map
When drivers search for 'fuel' on Google Maps, live pump prices appear underneath each station's location. The prices also show on the map once searched, but they do not appear automatically unless looked up first.
The list of stations cannot currently be filtered from cheapest to most expensive. However, drivers can compare the cost of their nearest station with one slightly further away.
Apple Maps does not currently show fuel prices, although some third-party apps can link to its maps on iPhones. The feature is already available on Waze, which around 2 million people in the UK use.
Impact of rising fuel costs
The launch comes days after diesel prices topped £2 per litre for the first time, which RAC policy head Simon Williams described as "a price threshold no one wanted to cross". The cost of fuel has been affected by the US war with Iran and Russia's war with Ukraine.
Diesel prices have since lowered by 2p, but the AA says an average 55-litre tank of diesel still costs around £110, with the petrol equivalent around £96.
Accuracy and missing prices
Some forecourts may not show a price on Google Maps. Clare Lafferty, director at the price comparison site PetrolPrices, said: "There are still sites that have not registered with the scheme at all, alongside sites that have registered but are not consistently updating their prices within the required timeframe."
Sarah-Jayne Williams, director of product partnerships for Google Maps and Waze, said the firm would confirm the data independently and would not display costs it believed were inaccurate. She said: "Accuracy is very important, so we will still show the petrol station and where it is, but you'll only see a price if we have high confidence that it's the right price."
Despite this, the majority of forecourts have complied, and drivers can now find fuel costs on Google Maps.
