Updates to Google Maps to Bring Users More Realistic, Immersive Experiences – SiliconANGLE

Google LLC hopes that an upcoming series of updates to Google Maps will inspire more people to use the application to plan their daily trips, as it announced today that no fewer than four new features are coming soon to help Maps ” looks and feels better than the real world.”

New updates include the long-awaited immersive view (pictured), which was first teased in May. Immersive View allows users to experience a drone-level aerial view of some of the world’s most recognizable cities and landmarks and explore the atmosphere of the area.

Relying on billions of user photos processed with artificial intelligence, the feature helps Maps model photorealistic buildings in a more immersive 3D view. The idea is that this more realistic view will help users better understand the topography of a given area, rotate their perspective so they can see between buildings, get a feel for the weather and traffic conditions, and so on.

Given the effort that goes into creating these incredibly realistic renderings, Google Maps Immersive View will only be available in a select few cities at launch, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City and London. Google said the feature will roll out later this year, but for now it’s possible to update the Maps app and preview 250 static aerial photos, giving a taste of what’s to come.

A second new feature rolling out in the coming months is Neighborhood Vibe, which aims to help users get a feel for new neighborhoods they’re entering by letting user ratings pop up as they browse them in the Maps app . You can access it by tapping the Explore button when entering a new area. In a blog post, to determine the “mood” of a neighborhood, Google combines AI with local knowledge from Google Maps users, who add more than 20 million posts to the map every day.

Searching within maps is also improved. The new Live View Search feature allows users to search for places or follow directions using Maps augmented reality. As the user walks, Street View is brought up and highlights various things they may be looking for, such as: B. ATMs or restaurants as marked on a flat map. Live View search will be available in San Francisco, London, New York, Paris and Tokyo in the coming weeks.

The latest update builds on the eco-friendly routing feature that was introduced to Maps earlier this year. When using maps to get directions to a destination, users can choose the most fuel-efficient route, as opposed to the fastest route, which is the default option

According to Google, the feature has proved popular and has helped avoid an estimated half a million tons of carbon emissions since it launched in Canada and the US earlier this year. That’s the equivalent of removing 100,000 gasoline-powered cars from the road, Google said.

Given the positive environmental impact of this feature, Google has decided to extend it to third-party developers using Maps in their own applications. This means that ride-sharing and delivery services that rely on maps to provide driving directions for their drivers can now also receive eco-friendly route information.

Businesses can measure each driver’s fuel consumption and savings on single trips or multiple trips throughout the day. These insights may also be extended to entire fleets of drivers when the feature previews later this year, Google said.

Images: Google