UK drivers can now see live petrol and diesel prices on Google Maps starting Thursday, allowing motorists to search for local forecourts and compare fuel costs in real time.
The feature rolls out across millions of vehicles in the UK. Drivers will search for a nearby petrol station within the Google app and view current pump prices before deciding where to fill up.
Campaigners describe the move as "a major development" for making fuel prices more transparent and fairer to consumers. The timing follows diesel hitting record prices of £2 per litre, intensifying pressure on household budgets and sparking calls for greater price visibility across the market.
The development is expected to encourage competition among fuel retailers. When motorists can easily compare prices across nearby stations, stations have stronger incentive to offer competitive rates rather than charging premium prices to drivers unaware of alternatives.
Google did not comment on the mechanism by which prices will be gathered or updated, or how frequently the data refreshes. The source does not specify which fuel retailers are participating or whether the feature covers all UK forecourts.
The move represents a shift toward greater price transparency in the UK fuel market, where regional and temporal variations in pump prices have long frustrated consumers. Driver advocacy groups have campaigned for years to give motorists better tools to shop around.