Before this update, Google Maps users would have had to do some research and go through reviews in order to get those answers. Now, all that is needed is a tap of the “Ask Maps” button and Gemini will give you a conversational answer and a customized map will appear on the screen to help show you the way to proceed.
Ask Maps will help you use Gemini to make your journey and stay measurably better
If you’re planning a vacation you can use Ask Maps to come up with a list of places to stop and see on your journey. So let’s say you’re driving to Mountain View, California. Tap Ask Maps and request a list of recommended places to stop on your route. Not only will you get what you asked for, you’ll also receive clear directions, ETAs for each recommended stop, and insider tips from real, living and breathing people.
Google Maps analyzes information about more than 300 million locations to help you build your itinerary along with reviews from Google’s contributors, which add up to more than 500 million people. Ask Maps remembers your questions and can determine your likes and dislikes for future reference. For example, if you tap on Ask Maps and say, “My friends are coming from Midtown East to meet me after work. Any spots with a cozy aesthetic and a table for four at 7 tonight?” Ask Maps already knows from past searches you’ve conducted in Google Maps that you like steak houses and will find such eateries in between your friends’ starting location and your office making the journey easier for everyone.
Ask Maps can also help book the restaurant by making the reservations, save places to a list and disseminate that list to friends and family.
Gemini is the ultimate smartphone digital assistant
Maybe I’m too optimistic, but this is what I see AI being used for. Instead of replacing me and taking over other jobs, AI is the ultimate digital assistant. This is why Google is adding some type of Gemini capability to all of its apps and this is what Google and Samsung grasp and Apple doesn’t. AI can be used to make life easier for mobile device users. However, it won’t be from having the ability to make it appear as though Shakespeare wrote your CV.
The AI features that Google is adding to its apps improve the quality of each app, make each app more useful and easier to use. Another AI-powered feature coming to Google Maps today is called Immersive Navigation. This consists of a new navigation experience for Google Maps users, one which Google calls the biggest update to Google Maps in more than a decade.
Immersive Navigation is the biggest update to Google Maps in over a decade
Google says that Immersive Navigation will help you stay more focused and informed while driving. To do that, the app will rely on “fresh” information and “natural directions” that get you ready for the journey in front of you. It also will show users upgraded visuals.
Changes to the map will feature 3D view that includes buildings, terrain, and overpasses by you. You’ll see crosswalks, driving lanes, stop signs, and traffic lights during those times when seeing them can make navigating to your destination easier. Gemini models will also analyze current images from Street View, and from aerial photos to show you accurate images of landmarks and medians.
To help you prepare for a “tricky turn,” Google Maps will use transparent buildings to show you a broader view of your route. Smart zooms will also be used to help you prepare to change lanes. And perhaps the most important change is an improvement to audio directions. This is something I’ve written about in the past, explaining how Apple had an advantage with its audio navigation descriptions.
Google Maps has much improved audio navigation that is much better at guiding you on the road
Now, Google Maps will sound like your pal helping to guide you. If you have to exit the highway in two exits, Google Maps will say something like, “Go past this exit and take the next one for Illinois 43 South.” Clear, concise, and something Google should have done years ago.
Google Maps will also tell you the advantages for taking an alternate route. The app might point out another way to get to your destination that has less traffic, but might have a longer ETA. There might be a faster road to take, albeit one that requires you to pay a toll. Google Maps users also provide 10 million contributions a day, allowing the app to warn you about an upcoming traffic disruption.
Lastly, you can plan ahead when it comes to parking by using Street View. This will help you know which side of the street you should be on so that you can hop right out of your vehicle and go right into your destination.
Immersive Navigation rolls out today throughout the U.S. Over the next few months, the feature will appear on more Android and iOS devices running Google Maps. It will also be found on CarPlay, Android Auto and vehicles with built-in Google.
