Google has announced that it will be adding traffic avoidance features to its free Google Maps Navigation application, allowing you to skirt around traffic and avoid hours of boredom in your car.

If the idea of that sounds familiar, it’s because Dutch firm TomTom has been offering a traffic dodging feature called TomTom HD Traffic on their dedicated GPS, iPhone apps and its website for some time.

“We’re happy to announce that Google Maps Navigation (Beta) will now automatically route you around traffic. With more than 35 million miles driven by Navigation users every day, this should add up to quite a bit of time saved,” claims Google.

The app, says the search engine, come navigation company, will automatically guide you along the best route given the current traffic conditions regardless of whether that’s what you want or not.

“Not only can you save time and fuel, you’re making traffic better for everyone else by avoiding traffic jams. Keep in mind that we can’t guarantee that Navigation will be able to find a faster way, but it will always try to get you where you’re going as fast as possible,” warns Google.

You can begin routing around traffic with Google Maps Navigation for Android in North America and Europe where both Navigation and real-time traffic data are available.

TomTom Traffic HD is still the superior product however, giving you a number of extra details and options including calculating on the fly traffic information and alerting you to how much time not only sitting in the traffic jam will add, but also how much the detour will take as well. It, however, costs around £4 a month, but is free for the first 12 months.