Google Maps is getting AI-powered features in India to help drivers navigate narrow roads and flyovers.
Google has announced that it has come up with “an AI model specifically for Indian roads that estimates road width” by using “satellite imagery, combining it with Street
View data”, besides accounting for “information like road type, distance between buildings, tree coverage and even poles and drains”.
“With these estimates, we have customised existing routing models to avoid narrow roads whenever possible. It also ensures that the ETA (estimated time of arrival) on a route is not disrupted significantly,” said Lalitha Ramani, GM, Google Maps, India.
When a driver approaches a narrow road, a yellow icon will be visible on the map, acting more like a heads-up. The definition of a narrow road is subjective and can vary from one city to another. “We will be collecting feedback to make this feature better as we go forward,” said Ramani.
The company said the update would also help bikers in two-wheeler mode and increase the level of safety for pedestrians in “walking mode”. The feature will roll out to Android devices this week in eight cities (Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Indore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar and Guwahati) and to more cities (and iOS users) at a later date.
Flyovers too pose a challenge in India, especially the approach where the ramp can appear suddenly. There are times when drivers wonder if they should take a flyover or
stay on the service road.
The constricted Sri Gopal Mallick Lane in north Calcutta. Picture by Pradip Sanyal
To tackle the issue, Google Maps will call out flyovers and recommended routes. It will help users anticipate upcoming flyovers.
A blue icon with the words “take flyover” will show on the map but, like narrow roads, voice announcements will not be made to inform the driver of the action to take.
Flyover callouts will be visible in 40 cities (including Calcutta) across India for both four-wheeler and two-wheeler active navigation on Android apps and Android Auto (iOS and CarPlay support are coming soon).
The growing market for electric vehicles gets a nod on Google Maps where you can find information about EV charging stations.
“We are collaborating with leading EV charging providers (ElectricPe, Ather, Kazam and Statiq) to add authoritative information about 8,000-plus charging stations,” said Ramani.
There will be detailed information, like the plug types (including those for two-wheelers) supported at these stations and real-time availability. It is the first time Google is launching EV charging stations for two-wheelers on Google Maps, and India is the first country to get this feature.
Miriam Daniel, VP and GM, Google Maps, emphasised how narrow roads and flyover features have been pioneered in India, for India.
The company will soon make these two features available to developers through the Google Maps Platform Routes API, allowing them to integrate narrow road and flyover callouts into their apps and services.