Google Maps to Display Fuel Prices Amid Rising Petrol and Diesel Costs

Google Maps will now display fuel prices in the UK to assist motorists in finding cheaper petrol and diesel. This feature will be available starting Thursday, showing the locations of forecourts along with their prices, based on data from the government's Fuel Finder scheme. UK forecourts are legally required to update their prices on Fuel Finder within 30 minutes of any changes. This update follows the recent increase in diesel prices, which have surpassed £2 per litre for the first time. RAC policy head Simon Williams noted that this is a significant price threshold. While there are various apps for locating the cheapest fuel, Google Maps is widely used, with 77% of Britain's adult population relying on it for navigation, according to Ofcom. Fuel prices globally have been affected by geopolitical events, including the US war with Iran and the conflict in Ukraine. Although the price of diesel has recently decreased by 2p, the AA reports that an average 55-litre tank of diesel costs around £110, while petrol costs approximately £96. The fuel price feature is already available on Waze, which has about 2 million users in the UK. Apple Maps does not currently display fuel prices, although some third-party apps can integrate with it. Experts have raised concerns about the reliability of Fuel Finder, with Clare Lafferty from PetrolPrices stating that additional data sources are needed for accuracy. She mentioned that in September, 200 forecourts were identified that did not update their diesel prices in time. Sarah-Jayne Williams from Google Maps and Waze emphasized the importance of data accuracy, stating that prices will only be displayed if there is high confidence in their correctness. The Retail Motor Industry Federation confirmed that its members are complying with the Fuel Finder requirements. Fuel Finder was launched in February by former chancellor Rachel Reeves, who indicated it could save households £40 annually.