Mar 31, 2021 11:15:00

Announced that new features such as automatic transportation settings, weather forecast, indoor live view will be added to Google Maps

It was announced that new features such as automatic setting of priority transportation using AI, weather forecast from the map, indoor live view, etc. will be added to Google Maps soon.

Redefining what a map can be with new information and AI

https://blog.google/products/maps/redefining-what-map-can-be-new-information-and-ai/

Google is making some big upgrades to directions in Google Maps --The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/30/22357528/google-maps-directions-indoor-ar-live-view-fuel-efficient-weather-air-quality-layer

Google Maps gets AR indoor navigation, new eco-friendly route options | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/03/google-maps-gets-ar-indoor-navigation-new-eco-friendly-route-options/

On March 30, 2021, local time, Google announced that 'more than 100 new features utilizing machine learning and AI will be added to Google Maps by the end of 2021.' The forerunner of these 100+ new features is the automatic setting of priority transportation and the weather forecast function.

◆ Automatic setting of priority transportation
When searching for a route to a destination on Google Maps, options such as 'car', 'public transportation', and 'walking' were displayed in different tabs. Google has revised this specification to allow all modes of transportation to be compared on the same tab.

In addition, you can also select 'transportation means to be displayed with priority'. For example, if you don't own a car, you can remove it from your preferred mode of transportation so that you can hide your car's travel when viewing routes.

According to Google, advanced machine learning will be used to automatically set preferred modes of transportation. For example, if you use a bicycle to move from usual, the route by bicycle will be displayed more, and in areas such as Tokyo where the usage rate of the subway is high, the route by subway will be displayed preferentially. It is said that it will be.

◆ Indoor live view

It was announced that the 'live view ' function, which appeared in 2019 and displays the direction and distance of the destination in AR in the real world image, has evolved and will be used indoors.

Below is an image of this indoor version of Live View at a glance. This is an example of using the indoor version of Live View in the situation of 'looking for the down stairs to the second floor in the airport'. If you search for 'downstairs to the 2nd floor' and use Live View, a pop-up 'This way' will appear on the screen.

If you turn your body according to this pop-up, you will find an AR display that says 'Go down one level'.

This AR display has changed further to a downward arrow intended for the action of 'getting off on the escalator'. It will tell you what kind of action you should take in a visually easy-to-understand manner.

Indoor live views are available in major US metropolitan areas such as Chicago, Long Island, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle, and some airports, shopping malls, and transfer stations in Tokyo and Zurich during the first half of 2021. It will be available at.

◆ Weather forecast / air pollution status
A new 'weather layer' has been added to Google Maps, allowing you to check the weather forecast and air pollution status on the map.

The weather forecast looks like this, and the current weather information and weather forecast at the specified point are displayed.

The air pollution status visually displays the air pollution status at the specified point

according to the Air Quality Index of the United States.

◆ Display of fuel-efficient travel routes
Google has partnered with the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory to develop a route model that optimizes fuel consumption from factors such as road slopes and traffic jams. If there is no difference, priority will be given to the route with the lowest fuel consumption, not the 'fastest' in the pure sense. ' If there is a large difference in arrival time, the message 'This route can reduce CO2 by ~% compared to the fastest route' will be displayed when selecting a route.

In addition, alerts will be displayed in areas where vehicles with high CO2 emissions such as diesel vehicles are restricted.

This fuel-efficient route function will be added within 2021.

◆ Optimization of curve side pickup

Due to the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) that occurred in 2020, the demand for 'curveside pickup ', in which the clerk loads the product in the trunk of the car when going to the parking lot of the store after ordering the product, is increasing. doing. In response to this increase in demand, Google will develop a function that allows you to order curbside pickups from Google Maps.

With this function, you can receive products seamlessly and contactlessly by displaying the store that will pick up the curve side, the usage fee, the minimum available amount, etc.