Google on Thursday announced several new features to enable more efficient and sustainable journeys via Maps in India, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and local partners.
The company said it is introducing a new feature for Maps users in India designed to reduce the use of narrow roads when driving four-wheelers.
It starts with estimating road widths which is incredibly complex, given India's vast and diverse road network.
“To address this, we've developed an AI model specifically for Indian roads that incorporates multiple signals -- satellite imagery, Street View, and other information like road types, distance between buildings, paved sections, etc. to estimate road widths at scale,” informed Miriam Daniel, VP and GM, Google Maps.
Now, four-wheeler drivers can enjoy a less stressful driving experience, and it also benefits bikers, pedestrians, and other commuters who can now use these narrow roads more safely and confidently.
The company is also adding “clear callouts” in Maps Directions and Navigation screens to alert the users to narrow sections on your route, so that they can proceed cautiously or choose an alternative route.
The company is rolling out the feature on Android devices this week in eight cities -- Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Indore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar and Guwahati -- and looks forward to bringing this to iOS and more cities soon.
Another feature will call out flyovers along the recommended route. This will help anticipate upcoming flyovers and prepare ahead of time to get onto the flyover.
“Starting this week, you'll see these flyover callouts in 40 cities across India for both four-wheeler and two-wheeler active navigation on Android apps and Android Auto. iOS and CarPlay support will be coming soon,” said Lalitha Ramani, GM, Google Maps, India.
For electric vehicles (EVs), Google is introducing helpful information about EV charging stations on both Google Maps and Google Search in India.
“We're collaborating with leading EV charging providers in India – ElectricPe, Ather, Kazam, and Statiq – to add authoritative information for over 8,000 charging stations, representing a significant portion of available charging stations in India,” said the tech giant.
Last December, Google announced a collaboration with ONDC and Namma Yatri to streamline the public transport experience on Google Maps.
The metro booking experience in Google Maps is now going live in Kochi and Chennai.
Over 60 million people share millions of reviews, photos, business edits, and road updates every day.
“We've simplified how you can report road incidents. Whether there’s ongoing construction or a traffic mishap on your route, you can now report it with just a few taps, making it easy and less distracting. This update is available in India on Google Maps across all platforms 0- Android, iOS, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay,” Google informed.
The tech giant has also collaborated with local experts like NDTV Food and MagicPin. They've curated lists for 10 major cities and tourist spots, offering insider tips and recommendations for the best places to eat, drink and explore.
Google Maps has mapped over 7 million kilometres of roads, 300 million buildings, and 35 million businesses and places across India, providing real-time traffic predictions, offer immersive experiences like Street View and Live View walking navigation.