Google motorcycle mode launched in Kenya, first in Africa – Quartz Africa

Google wants to help African motorcycle taxis better navigate the roads.

The company launched the motorcycle mode feature on Google Maps today (Oct. 15) in Kenya, a first in Africa. The new routing mode provides detailed navigation, avoids restricted routes, suggests more efficient routes and shortcuts, and displays accurate arrival times.

The feature was introduced for the first time in India last year and is currently available in other Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand, where motorcycle use is widespread. Google has also announced the launch of Kenya's Street View service, allowing locals and tourists to explore up to 9,500 kilometers of roads, including in coastal towns like Mombasa.

Getting around African cities like Nairobi can be demanding due to poor infrastructure, poor street addresses, the lack of reliable public transport and the increasing urbanization that causes congestion. As such, motorcycle taxis, locally called boda bodas, said more than one million Kenyans using the motorcycle as a preferred means of transportation. The influx of cheap motorcycles from Indian manufacturers and the availability of simple financing and maintenance solutions have also driven the growth of the two-wheeler market in Africa.

The growth of the motorcycle was also noticed by tracking services like Uber and Taxify, who customized their products to allow bikers to hail a boda boda in Nairobi or even a three-wheeled tuk-tuk in Mombasa. In addition to being fast, these trips are usually cheaper options than auto taxis, which makes them attractive to customers.

For Google, the introduction of the motorcycle mode reflects the efforts of the technology giant to expand its presence across Africa, competing with companies such as Facebook and Alibaba, all seeking investment opportunities to strengthen their activities and provide support to more entrepreneurs. In April, the company announced the launch of Google Go in Africa, an application designed to circumvent slow and expensive Internet speeds. He also introduced YouTube Go to Nigeria and South Africa, a "first disconnected" version of the video streaming platform, allowing users to view and download videos rather than broadcast them, while by reducing data costs.