Google Maps Is Becoming More Immersive And Sustainable In Some Cities With New Update

Immersive view fuses billions of Street Views and aerial images to create a rich, digital model of the world, the company said.

Google has announced it is rolling out immersive view, an AI-based feature in the Google Maps app. According to the tech giant, using AI and computer vision, immersive view fuses billions of Street View and aerial images to create a rich, digital model of the world. The company is rolling it out in five cities.

The feature now is being rolled out in London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo, and in the coming months, the company said, the feature will become available in even more cities, including in Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence and Venice. 

Immersive view also layers helpful information like the weather, traffic and how busy a place is. The app also received a time slider to let users see what the area looks like at different times.

“Last year, we shared our vision for the future of Google Maps — an immersive, intuitive map that reimagines how you explore and navigate, while helping you make more sustainable choices. Today we’re demonstrating how AI is bringing this vision to life, with updates for immersive view and Live View, along with new features for electric vehicle (EV) drivers and people who walk, bike or ride public transit," Google wrote in a blog post.

The company also announced its Search with Live View feature for indoor and outdoor navigation based on AI. It helps users to find parks, restaurants, ATMs, and more by just following powered arrows based on augmented reality. 

“Now, we're embarking on the largest expansion of indoor Live View to date, bringing it to more than 1,000 new airports, train stations, and malls in Barcelona, Berlin, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Paris, Prague, São Paulo, Singapore, Sydney, and Taipei in the coming months," Google added.

The company also said that we’re introducing new Google Maps features for EV drivers with vehicles that have Google built-in. This includes suggestions on best charging stops, very fast charging stations, and charging stations in search results. 

Google will launch glanceable directions for users to their journey right from your route overview or lock screen. The company said, “These glanceable directions start rolling out globally on Android and iOS in the coming months, and will also be compatible with Live Activities on iOS 16.1.”