Google Maps is set to receive several new AI-driven features to enhance user experiences when planning trips, navigating unfamiliar locations, finding electric vehicle charging stations, and discovering new places and activities.
Among these enhancements is Immersive View for routes, which offers users a detailed preview of their journey from start to finish by combining Street View and aerial images.
This feature, rolling out in select cities on Android and iOS, allows users to explore routes from different vantage points, change the time of day, and even view the weather conditions.
Google Maps is also expanding its Lens feature, which leverages AI and augmented reality to provide real-time information about nearby restaurants, shops, transit stations, and more.
Additionally, Google is addressing “charging anxiety” for electric vehicle drivers by offering details about charger compatibility, type, power level, and usage frequency.
Finally, the search experience in Google Maps is being revamped with new AI-driven visual results.
For instance, thematic search results will now include photo results for activities like “animal latte art,” based on computer vision and image recognition technologies.
This visual search experience will launch in several countries, including France, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the US. Overall, these AI-powered updates aim to provide more detailed and engaging navigation and discovery options for Google Maps users.
