In a first-of-its-kind initiative for India, tech giant Google has rolled out a host of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered features for maps, which include address descriptors, lens integration and live-view walking navigation.
These features were designed to offer a more tailored and localised map experience for Indian users, Google said in a statement.
“In India, Google Maps has mapped Mns of kilometres of roads and 300 Mn buildings, serving Mns of users with over 50 Mn daily searches. AI technology enhances commute decisions, providing traffic predictions for over 2.5 Bn kilometres of directions daily. Google Maps features information on 30 Mn businesses, fostering over 900 Mn monthly connections between consumers and businesses,” the statement added.
Let’s take a look at the new features:
A Comprehensive Map Localised For The Needs Of Indian Users
In the past few years, Google Maps has focused on adding key places like worship centres, medical facilities, and government services to better serve Indian users. Address Descriptors, a new India-first innovation, enhances address understanding by automatically identifying up to five relevant landmarks and area names around a pinned location. This feature simplifies location sharing, making it easier for users to navigate unfamiliar areas.
“We launched this capability earlier this year for developers in India on Google Maps Platform to help them benefit from more intuitive addressing solutions. We’re now expanding this to developers across over 75 cities in the country,” as per a Google report.
More Visual And Immersive Maps For Navigation
The company has introduced Lens in Maps and Live View walking navigation. A year after Street View was launched, Google Maps now allows its users to view and explore over 3,000 cities and towns.
Lens in Maps allows instant identification of nearby restaurants and cafes through the camera, launching in 15 cities by Jan 2024. Live View walking navigation, featuring arrows and distance markers, will cover over 3,000 cities in India, starting with Android. These innovations combine Street View imagery with advanced AI and AR technologies to provide immersive experiences.
Catering To India’s Diverse Mobility Needs
Google Maps is introducing a fuel-efficient routing feature in India for both four-wheelers and two-wheelers by January next year, promoting sustainability. This feature, already estimated to have prevented 2.4 Mn metric tons of CO2e globally, considers real-time traffic data, road elevation, and vehicle type.
“Over the years, we have partnered with numerous local authorities towards this goal, enabling Mns of users to find information about various modes of public transport including metros, trains, and buses in over 20 Indian cities.”
For public transport users, the Where Is My Train app, used by over 80 Mn people monthly, is expanding to cover Mumbai and Kolkata Local Trains, offering information on schedule changes, delays, and platform numbers.
In December 2018, Google acquired Bengaluru-based startup Sigmoid Labs, the company behind the app “Where is My Train”. The app was created to improve the experiences of millions of Indian train travellers through technology.
On Tuesday, Google also announced partnerships with ONDC and Namma Yatri, which aims to bring metro schedules and bookings to users. It is expected to launch by mid-next year with Kochi Metro on Google Maps powered by Namma Yatri, followed by other metros as they join the ONDC Network.
As per Future Market Insights, the digital map market is expected to be valued at $18.3 Bn in 2023, with a projected growth of $73.1 Bn by 2033. The market is anticipated to achieve a CAGR of 14.8% during the period from 2023 to 2033.
Meanwhile, Google Maps rival MapmyIndia is looking to raise INR 500 Cr by issuing equity shares through a qualified institutional placement (QIP).
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