The app has come a long way since the days when it was just a search widget for the home screen. Now it contains Now, voice search, location services, even manages the home screen if you use the launcher. You can harness all that power to do some cool things as long as you know where to look. For example, Now can let a friend or family member know when you’ve started your daily commute. Here’s how to set it up.
Before you get started, make sure you have location services enabled in the system settings. You whoever you’re sharing commute updates with also need to have + profiles. You don’t have to actually use them, but the profile must be enabled.
Once the prep work is out of the way, head into the app open the settings. You’re looking for Accounts & privacy > Commute sharing.
Make sure you’ve enabled commute sharing or your location information won’t do any good.
In this menu, you need to flip the toggle to share your commute updates. In order to choose who sees these updates, tap the line right above the toggle reading “Choose who can see your location using + sharing.” This will open the location sharing settings where you can add individual people or entire G+ circles under npoint location.
This person (or people) will then get a Now notification when you start your commute home.
Choose only those who you trust enough to make your exact location known.
How does know when you’re leaving work? That’s why you have location services enabled. is smart enough to know where you work where you live thanks to G (you can also explicitly set your home work addresses in Maps). You can remove people from location sharing at any time, or just shut off commute sharing in the settings.
