Google Maps introduces a host of improvements to tempt Indian drivers, commuters, and travellers

Google is adding a slew of new features to Google Maps in India in an effort to attract more users by tailoring the service to the country's unique needs and multiple use cases. In particular, Maps is getting an artificial intelligence model that can help drivers better navigate India's overpasses and narrow roads. The company is also partnering with a government-backed initiative to allow commuters to book local train and metro tickets from the Maps app. The app even gets a feature that will show you curated lists of popular places to visit in certain cities.

 Navigation function

On Thursday, Google announced that it has created an AI model specifically for Indian roads that determines road width using satellite imagery and street view data. The model also takes into account information such as road type, distance between buildings, tree cover, poles and gutters to help drivers avoid narrow roads. Maps will now show drivers of cars and cyclists, as well as pedestrian routes, to avoid narrow roads while navigating. When such roads cannot be avoided, annotations are displayed on the map to warn users of narrow sections ahead. Google Maps also integrates interchange annotations during navigation, allowing you to see upcoming interchanges along the route.

Before this update, the maps told drivers to "ramp" when going up or down overpasses, but the term "ramp" is not widely used in India. In addition, the application during navigation is often mentioned on its formal name, but these roads are usually not important on the road, so drivers often have to guess which way they are. In this case, a clear instruction is a better prompt.