As we mentioned just a few days ago, throughout 2021 it seems that Google Maps will launch some interesting news, features and really interesting functions, many of which will be thanks to the integration of different functionalities driven by artificial intelligence , such as this would be the case of inland navigation or eco-responsible travel.
A few weeks ago, in a note published on the official Google blog by Dane Glasgow, vice president in charge of Google Maps, he announced that throughout 2021 more than 100 improvements will be made to the company’s mapping service thanks to the inclusion of artificial intelligence (AI) in the application.
Indoor navigation, one of the great challenges for Google Maps
Clearly, both inland navigation and augmented reality (Live View) become some of the more exciting revamped features. And that, among other interesting aspects, could be very useful to avoid walking in the opposite direction to where we really want or need to go.
With the inclusion of augmented reality , related to all the information available about the area where we are (or where we want to go), such as the location and the environment, Live View will prevent us from getting lost.
In this sense, Google has decided to call this function by the name of “global location” , and has explained that, thanks to artificial intelligence, tens of billions of Street View images have been analyzed, along with the adjustments have allowed the system to be able to interpret much better the location of objects and signs inside a building.
Thus, the Live View update with AI would become a tremendously useful guide for our trips to airports, shopping centers or train stations , since, when analyzing the location map, the system is able to tell us where the staircase is located nearest, or which elevator we should use to get to our destination as quickly as possible.
Greener travel by default thanks to AI
Artificial intelligence will also soon allow Google Maps to be able to provide new travel options . And it is that, in addition to the fastest, the most direct or the one that avoids possible tolls, the user will also be able to choose more ecological options .
How? Very simple: Google’s algorithms will use a maximum of data related to the route to be taken, such as traffic congestion or the inclination of the road, in order to provide the user with the way that will consume less fuel and, in addition, it will emit the least amount of CO2 . In addition, according to Google, in theory the expected time of arrival would be substantially the same.
Although the final choice will obviously be left to the user, Google Maps will tend to offer this “greener” route as a priority.
In fact, low-emission urban areas will now be taken into account, and will appear in the app. They consist of areas in which the circulation with certain types of polluting vehicles is prohibited, and in which it is necessary to have a certain type of sticker to be able to circulate through them (does Madrid Central sound like you?).
Well, we have also learned that Google Maps will use AI to better adapt to the user’s travel habits , in a way that will give them more options for using public transport, or lanes reserved for cyclists in the event that the application understands that we use these means of transport more frequently.
It is, as we can see, some truly useful and interesting functionalities, which take full advantage of all the advantages that artificial intelligence can provide. Although it will be necessary to wait a bit to start using them.
