Google Maps Gets New AR Feature That Will Help Explore Stores, ATMs, EV Stations

Google Maps is getting an update that will let its users explore AR to explore which amenities and stores happen to be in the line of sight.

Another notable feature within Google Maps is for electric vehicle owners who need to charge their cars.

Google Maps is getting an update that will let its users explore AR to explore which amenities and stores happen to be in the line of sight. The visual search experience will start rolling out in London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, San Francisco and Tokyo on Android and iOS, Google has announced. With this, users can just lift their phone and tap on the camera icon in the search bar to see nearby stores and other places like coffee shops, banks and ATMs

To recall, earlier in September, the company introduced search with Live View to let users explore what’s around you more intuitively with the help of AI, billions of Street View images and augmented reality.

"Say you’re visiting New York with plans to knock out your holiday shopping and catch up with friends. Lift your phone and tap on the camera icon in the search bar to see nearby stores and other places like coffee shops, banks and ATMs. With AR-powered directions and arrows, you can see what direction they’re in and how far away they are — and even spot places that aren’t in your immediate view (like a clothing store around the block) to get a true sense of the neighbourhood at a glance," Amanda Leicht Moore, Director of Product, Google Maps, said in a statement.

Another notable feature within Google Maps is for electric vehicle owners who need to charge their cars. A new update will let users filter charging station information to find plugs that are compatible with your EV or find fast chargers.

"If you have an electric vehicle, you may already be using Google Maps to find charging stations and get real-time information about chargers near you. Now it’s even easier to find the best charging station for your car. Search for “EV charging stations'' and select the “fast charge” filter — you’ll see stations with chargers 50kW or higher so you can charge up faster. You can also filter for stations that offer your EV’s plug type in more countries so you only see stations with plugs that are compatible with your car. Both features are live now on Android and iOS in countries where EV charging stations are available," Leicht added.