Ican’t count the number of times I have missed an exit on a highway just because the navigation on my phone could not properly differentiate the lanes. Bad connectivity and a 2D view make things worse in such cases, often getting confused as to which lane I am on, and jumping from one to the other on the map. If you have suffered a similar problem, fear not, as Apple may have found a solution.

With iOS 15, Apple brings its biggest update to Maps yet – a 3D map. The feature is meant to help users “explore cities through a new 3D view,” as per Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. A major part of this “exploration” is focused on navigation, and one look at Apple’s new 3D maps and you will know that this will be the future.

Why, you ask? With the 3D maps, Apple promises to bring unprecedented details to roads and turn lanes, as well as other aspects that you should be aware of while driving in an area. These might include bus and taxi lanes, crosswalks and even traffic conditions. With the new 3D maps, all of these are seen in a rich, immersive view.

The new Apple Maps feature even solves the complex highway lanes problem. Apple says that with the new 3D maps, highways with overlapping complex interchanges are “rendered in a road-level 3D view.” This means you can see all the lanes ahead of you in a 3D view that will help you very easily figure out where to mark your exit. It works much like any normal navigation but the extra level of details can be of immense help while you are at speed and need to be prepared for a lane switch.

Furthermore, the road-level view keeps things in perspective. One look at the 3D map in Apple Maps and you will know the direction you are headed on, the exact location of the road you are driving on and what lies ahead of you. What we used to see as thin lines on a map will now be shown in a detailed 3D view, so you may never wonder again as to where exactly you are with respect to the next checkpoint, like an exit or a roundabout that you wish to take.

Apple says that the new navigation will be available through CarPlay later this year. Note that the 3D maps update on Apple Maps is not just limited to navigation though. It will also let users digitally navigate cities with “unprecedented detail for neighbourhoods, commercial districts, marinas, buildings, and more.”

The 3D view will show elevation details across a city, new road labels, and “hundreds of custom-designed landmarks” like the Statue of Liberty in New York City. The city map experience, however, will be limited to some cities as of now. These include London, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. Later this year, it will be available in Philadelphia, San Diego, and Washington, D.C. Apple says that it will support more cities by next year.