Sixteen years ago, many of us held a printout of directions in one hand and the steering wheel in the other to get around\u2014 without information about the traffic along your route or details about when your favorite restaurant was open. Since then, we\u2019ve been pushing the boundaries of what a map can do, propelled by the latest machine learning. This year, we\u2019re on track to bring over 100 AI-powered improvements to Google Maps so you can get the most accurate, up-to-date information about the world, exactly when you need it. Here’s a snapshot of how we’re using AI to make Maps work better for you with a number of updates coming this year.<\/p>\n
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Navigate indoors with Live View<\/b><\/p>\n
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We all know that awkward moment when you’re walking in the opposite direction of where you want to go \u2014 Live View uses AR cues to avoid just that. Live View is powered by a technology called global localization<\/a>, which uses AI to scan tens of billions of Street View images to understand your orientation. Thanks to new advancements that help us understand the precise altitude and placement of objects inside a building, we\u2019re now able to bring Live View to some of the trickiest-to-navigate places indoors: airports, transit stations and malls.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019re catching a plane or train, Live View can help you find the nearest elevator and escalators, your gate, platform, baggage claim, check-in counters, ticket office, restrooms, ATMs and more. Arrows and accompanying directions will point you the right way. And if you need to pick something up from the mall, use Live View to see what floor a store is on and how to get there so you can get in and out in a snap. Indoor Live View is live now on Android and iOS in a number of malls in Chicago, Long Island, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. It starts rolling out in the coming months in select airports, malls, and transit stations in Tokyo and Zurich, with more cities on the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Find your way inside airports, train stations, and malls with Indoor Live View<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Plan ahead with more information about weather and air quality\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n With the new weather layer, you can quickly see current and forecasted temperature and weather conditions in an area \u2014 so you\u2019ll never get caught in the rain without an umbrella. And the new air quality layer shows you how healthy (or unhealthy) the air is \u2014\u00a0 information that\u2019s especially helpful if you have allergies or are in a smoggy or fire-prone area. Data from partners like The Weather Company, AirNow.gov and the Central Pollution Board power these layers that start rolling out on Android and iOS in the coming months. The weather layer will be available globally and the air quality layer will launch in Australia, India, and the U.S., with more countries to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n See helpful air quality and weather information with new layers in Google Maps<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Find more eco-friendly options to get around<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n With insights from the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s National Renewable Energy Lab, we\u2019re building a new routing model that optimizes for lower fuel consumption based on factors like road incline and traffic congestion. This is all part of the commitment we made last September<\/a> to help one billion people who use our products take action to reduce their environmental footprint. Soon, Google Maps will default to the route with the lowest carbon footprint when it has approximately the same ETA as the fastest route. In cases where the eco-friendly route could significantly increase your ETA, we\u2019ll let you compare the relative CO2 impact between routes so you can choose. Always want the fastest route? That\u2019s OK too \u2014 simply adjust your preferences in Settings. Eco-friendly routes launch in the U.S. on Android and iOS later this year, with a global expansion on the way.<\/p>\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n More eco-friendly routes let you choose the route with the lowest carbon footprint<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n From Amsterdam to Jakarta, cities around the world have established low emission zones \u2014 areas that restrict polluting vehicles like certain diesel cars or cars with specific emissions stickers \u2014\u00a0 to help keep the air clean. To support these efforts, we\u2019re working on alerts to help drivers better understand when they\u2019ll be navigating through one of these zones. You can quickly know if your vehicle is allowed in the area, choose an alternative mode of transportation, or take another route. Low emission zone alerts launch this June in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and the UK on Android and iOS, with more countries coming soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Quickly know if your vehicle is allowed in the area, choose an alternative mode of transportation, or take another route with low emission zone alerts<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But we know that getting around sustainably goes beyond driving. So we\u2019re making it easier to choose more sustainable options when you\u2019re on the go. Soon you\u2019ll get a comprehensive view of all routes and transportation modes available to your destination \u2014 you can compare how long it\u2019ll take to get there by car, transit or bike without toggling between tabs. Using advanced machine learning models, Maps will automatically prioritize your preferred modes\u00a0 \u2014 and even boost modes that are popular in your city. For example, if you bike a lot, we\u2019ll automatically show you more biking routes. And if you live in a city like New York, London, Tokyo, or Buenos Aires where taking the subway is popular, we\u2019ll rank that mode higher. This rolls out globally in the coming months on Android and iOS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Easily compare different routes and modes of transportation with the new directions experience<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Save time with curbside grocery pickup on Maps<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Delivery and curbside pickup have grown in popularity during the pandemic \u2014 they\u2019re convenient and minimize contact. To make this process easier, we\u2019re bringing helpful shopping information to stores\u2019 Business Profiles on Maps and Search, like delivery providers, pickup and delivery windows, fees, and order minimums. We\u2019re rolling this out on mobile Search starting with Instacart and Albertsons Cos. stores in the U.S., with plans to expand to Maps and other partners.<\/p>\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Check out helpful information about grocery delivery providers, pickup and delivery windows, fees, and order minimums<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n This summer, we\u2019re also teaming up with U.S. supermarket Fred Meyer, a division of The Kroger Co., on a pilot in select stores in Portland, Oregon to make grocery pickup easier. After you place an order for pickup on the store\u2019s app, you can add it to Maps. We\u2019ll send you a notification when it\u2019s time to leave, and let you share your arrival time with the store. Your ETA is continuously updated, based on location and traffic. This helps the store prioritize your order so it\u2019s ready as soon as you get there. Check in on the Google Maps app, and they\u2019ll bring your order right out for a seamless, fast, no-contact pickup.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Track your grocery order status, share your ETA, and let the store know you’ve arrived – all from Google Maps<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n All of these updates are possible thanks to AI advancements<\/a> that have transformed Google Maps into a map that can reflect the millions of changes made around the world every day \u2014\u00a0 in the biggest cities and the smallest towns. Whether you\u2019re getting around, exploring an area, or knocking out errands, let Google Maps help you find your way.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Go to Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"Indoor](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod\/original_images\/Indoor_Live_View_2_QSAeaS7.gif\")
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