Google announced new features for Indian users, including Address Descriptors to find locations based on landmarks. Lens in Maps allows users to view information about nearby restaurants and cafes. Live View Walking Navigation provides directions and distance markers for pedestrians. A fuel-efficient routing feature for two-wheelers and four-wheelers will be rolled out in India. Google uses AI to minimize fuel and emissions based on real-time traffic data and road elevation.
Google has announced a slew of
new features
in India, including
Lens in Maps
. Google said that the features aim to build a richer and more comprehensive map localised for the needs of Indian users. Here are the new features:
Eco-friendly commute using Maps
Google has also revealed that a new fuel-efficient routing feature coming to India to help people make more sustainable choices across two-wheelers and four-wheelers.
India and Indonesia will be the
first countries in which Google is rolling out this feature for two-wheelers, the company said.
Early next year, users across the country will be able to access the fuel-efficient routing feature for four-wheelers as well as two-wheelers, offering more sustainable alternatives. Applying AI to understand real-time traffic data, road elevation, and even the vehicle's engine type,
Google Maps
will now identify the route that minimises fuel and emissions. We have already tested this feature on iPhone as it has rolled out to a select users.
Address descriptors
Google is bringing a new feature called Address Descriptors, which will help people to easily find locations based on landmarks. A lot of users in India have the habit of pointing out or looking for directions based on landmark. "Now when you drop a pin in Maps when sharing a location, using a combination of machine learning signals Google Maps will automatically find up to five of the most relevant landmarks, and display the landmark reference,” said Google. The feature will roll out to users across the country early next year.
Two new immersive features
The company announced two new visually immersive features – Lens in Maps and Live View Walking Navigation – that it’s bringing to India by combining Street View imagery from local partners along with advanced AI and AR technologies. This is the first time Lens is being included in Maps.
Lens in Maps will enable people better understand their surroundings. Users can now by simply pointing the camera down a street people can instantly view helpful information about nearby restaurants and cafes, including details like opening hours, ratings, reviews and photos. This feature will be launching in
15 cities across the country by Jan 2024, starting with Android. iPhone users will have to wait to get their hands on this feature.
To better help people who prefer moving around on foot, Live View Walking Navigation is also coming to India. Users will now see arrows, directions, and distance markers overlaid on the Maps screen, to help quickly figure out which way to head. Live View walking navigation is coming to over 3,000 cities and towns across the nation, starting with Android, said Google.
English (US) ·