Google makes big improvements to routes in Google Maps

Google is announcing a series of new features planned for Google Maps, including a new indoor navigation aid tool and suggested green driving routes. However, the features announced today do not all deploy at the same time; many are not yet available and it is not known when some will be available in certain regions of the world.

One of the biggest announcements is that Google is bringing its Live View augmented reality directions to airports, transit stations, and shopping malls. Live view directions allow you to hold your phone up, point your camera at the world around you, and see arrows and icons telling you where you need to go, and previously they only worked. outside.

Unfortunately, these indoor AR directions are not yet rolled out very widely – they’re only available in select malls in Chicago, Long Island, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle at this time. However, in the coming months, Google will be launching live indoor viewing routes at select transit stations, airports and shopping malls in Tokyo and Zurich, and other cities are “on the way,” the report said. society.

Google is also planning to revamp the interface to choose your mode of transport for routes on Android and iOS. Right now you have to switch between different tabs to see more details about the different transport options, but with this new interface you will only be scrolling through a list. The company claims that Maps will even be able to prioritize the modes you prefer and put the ones that are popular in certain cities (the New York subway, for example) higher on the list. This new interface should be rolled out worldwide in the coming months.

In addition to the route interface, Google is adding a new type of route optimized for reduced fuel consumption. If the green route has roughly the same ETA as the fastest route to a location, Google Maps will use the fuel efficient route by default, although you can change it in settings if you want. Google plans to make these new fuel-efficient routes available on Android and iOS in the United States later this year and worldwide at an unspecified time in the future.

Fuel-efficient routes aren’t the only green updates for Maps: Google is also planning to introduce alerts that will let you know when you’ll be navigating in low-emission zones, which will not allow certain vehicles with certain emission levels to drop. enter. Google says these alerts will be launched in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK on Android and iOS in June. Other countries will soon receive the alerts, according to Google.

Image: Google Maps

Google is also creating new map layers for weather and air quality that are expected to roll out in the coming months on Android and iOS. Google plans to launch the weather layer globally and to launch the air quality layer first in Australia, India and the United States.

Image: Google

Google is also planning to test a new grocery pickup tool this summer with select Portland, Oregon locations of Kroger’s-owned Fred Meyer grocery store. The tool allows you to share your location and estimated time of arrival with the store via Google Maps so that your grocery order is ready when you arrive.