Google has announced this week that it is introducing several new features on Google Maps in India. This move is in response to increasing competition from the local competitor Ola Maps. The aim is to attract more users by tailoring the service to meet the country's unique needs and cover more usage scenarios. One notable addition is an AI model to assist drivers in navigating flyovers and narrow roads in India. Additionally, Google is partnering with a government-backed initiative to enable commuters to book local train and metro tickets directly from the Maps app. The app will also feature curated lists of famous places in specific cities.
In a recent blog post, Google outlined six exciting new features for Maps in India. These updates are tailored to the region and promise to enhance the user experience. Among the new features is support for incident reports on Android Auto, as well as the introduction of "Flyover" routes. These elevated roads are designed to alleviate congestion, and Maps will now incorporate them into routes in India, providing valuable information for drivers to make informed decisions about their travel routes.
Maps will also display alerts about "narrow roads" by using AI to determine a road's width. This is done by considering various factors such as satellite imagery, Street View, and other data. Additionally, the data can adjust your route based on whether you are driving a two-wheel or four-wheel vehicle. Google states that both of these features are specifically designed for India and will be available on Android and Android Auto in 40 cities starting this week. Support for iOS and CarPlay will be added later.
Google is also expanding its support for EV charging stations in India and, for the first time, including two-wheel EVs in the mix. In addition, Google Maps will allow users to book metro tickets through ONDC and Namma Yatri, starting this week in Kochi and Chennai. Furthermore, Google Maps will also curate "favourite spots" in local communities. As part of an update that may be rolled out globally later, Google has "simplified" the process for reporting road incidents, requiring fewer taps. It now only takes a single tap to confirm another user's report.