Google announced that it will add new features to Google Maps, such as automatic setting of means of transportation using AI, weather on the map, and indoor live view.
On March 30 (local time), Google announced that it will add more than 100 new features using machine learning and AI to Google Maps in 2021. Among the new features that more than 100 types are added, the one that catches the eye is the automatic setting of transportation and the weather function.
When searching for a route to a destination on Google Maps, until now, selections such as car, public transport, and foot were displayed in different tabs, but Google has revised this specification so that all modes of transport can be compared in the same tab. You can also choose the mode of transportation that is displayed preferentially. For example, if you don’t own a car, you can hide the drive when you mark the route by first separating the car from the means of transportation.
According to Google, advanced machine learning is used to set the mode of transportation automatically. For example, when a bicycle is used for daily movement, the route by bicycle is displayed in abundance, and the route by the subway is displayed first in areas where the use rate of the subway is high.
Next is the indoor live view. In the actual video that appeared in 2019, the live view function, which displays the destination direction and distance AR, etc., has evolved and can be used indoors. Indoor version live view is a situation where you are looking for stairs going down from the airport to the second floor, and indoor version live view is used to indicate a direction on the screen, or if you change your body direction, an AR display that tells you to go down to the first floor with this escalator.
These AR displays are intended to be visually easy to understand, such as notifying the movement of the escalator with a downward arrow. Indoor live view is available in major cities in the United States such as Chicago, Long Island, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle, and will be available at some airports, shopping malls, and transit stations in the first half of 2021.
Next is the weather and air pollution situation. As a weather layer is added to Google Maps, you can check the weather and air pollution status on the map. Weather displays the current weather and weather forecast at a designated point. The air pollution situation provides a visual indication of the air pollution situation at a designated point according to the US Air Quality Index.
Next, show the route of good fuel economy. Google is developing a route model that optimizes fuel consumption in factors such as road slope and traffic congestion in partnership with the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Research Institute. Priority is given to routes with low fuel consumption. If there is a significant difference in arrival times, the route is marked by a few percent reduction in carbon dioxide compared to the fastest route by choosing the route. In addition, warnings are displayed in areas where vehicles with high carbon dioxide emissions, such as diesel vehicles, are restricted. The route function considering fuel economy is expected to be added within 2021.
The current sound is optimized for curve side pickup. In accordance with the Corona 19 epidemic that occurred in 2020, demand for curve-side pickups in which a store clerk loads goods into the trunk of a car after ordering products is increasing. In response to this growing demand, Google is developing a feature that allows you to place curve-side pickup orders on Google Maps. This function plans to realize smooth and contactless product receipt by displaying the store that provides curveside pickup, usage fees, and the lowest available amount. Related information can be found here.
Meanwhile, Area 120, Google’s in-house childcare program, has released an experimental application for Android for Android, which makes it easy to shoot receipts or invoices and configure them with a smartphone. You can install it from Google Play only on Android in the US.
Filming and managing documents is nothing new. For example, in Google Drive, you can scan it with a smartphone camera and save it as a PDF. In contrast, Stack recognizes the contents of the shot and suggests categories suitable for storage such as receipts and invoices. Stored documents can be organized and displayed by category. You can also set multiple categories for one document. Scanned data is also backed up to Google Drive, so even if you lose your smartphone, the scanned data cannot be lost. You can also lock apps through face or fingerprint authentication.
In addition, important information among scanned documents is identified and displayed as document information. Also, you can search not only the file name, but also the text string in the document. It is said that there is a problem with the algorithm in an early stage as it is still an experimental app release. The specific schedule in the future is also undecided, and it may end without being officially released as it is.
Google also announced that it will extend unlimited calls to the end of June 2021 in the free version of Google Meet. The extension of the unlimited period is the second time after September 2020.
Google Meat was originally provided exclusively for businesses and educational institutions, but was renamed in April 2020. Even if you’re not a Google Workspace user, anyone with a Google account can use it for free. Video calls for three or more people, originally limited to 60 minutes, were changed to an unlimited number until the end of September 2020, and the deadline was extended until March 31, 2021 due to high demand for the holiday season. There is no specific explanation for the reason for this extension, but it seems to be a measure according to the situation where Corona 19 has not stopped.