Google announced on Thursday the integration of its artificial intelligence, Gemini, into Google Maps, launching a brand-new feature called “Ask Maps.” This move aims to enable the app to answer complex and practical questions that Google confirmed “Maps was previously unable to answer.”
“Ask Maps”: Your Smart Search Personal Assistant
Google Maps users can now access the new “Ask Maps” button to get precise answers to specific questions, such as: “Is there a public tennis court with lights that I can play on tonight?” Google explained that finding this kind of information previously required a lengthy search of reviews, but now the app can provide a direct answer supported by a customized map.
This feature can also be used for trip planning, providing tailored responses based on previous searches or information saved in the app. The system builds itineraries using data from over 300 million places, including reviews from Google’s vast community.
Immersive Navigation: The Biggest Update in a Decade
Alongside search features, Google introduced “Immersive Navigation,” which it described as the biggest update to the driving experience in over a decade. This feature provides a 3D view that displays buildings, bridges, and terrain in high definition. The app will also highlight important road details such as traffic lanes, pedestrian crossings, traffic lights, and stop signs while providing directions.
AI-Powered Spatial Understanding
Google confirmed that the app will have a new “spatial understanding” of the routes it suggests thanks to “Gemini” models. Artificial intelligence analyzes real-world images from Street View and aerial photography to add new and accurate details to the navigation, providing a wider view of the route and more information about what awaits the driver on the road, as well as previews of parking locations.
Availability and Rollout Plan
The “Ask Maps” feature is currently rolling out in the US and India on iOS and Android, with plans to expand to a desktop version soon. As for “immersive navigation,” it began its rollout yesterday in the United States, and will gradually expand over the coming months to include eligible devices, in addition to “CarPlay” and “Android Auto” systems.
