Google helps India users face the map googly

Google Maps has launched India-first Address Descriptors, for people to easily find locations based on landmarks recommended using machine learning.

Other features revealed by the American technology major include Google Lens in Maps and Live View Walking Navigation, immersive features built upon Street View, as well as fuel-efficient routing to save energy without impacting travel time, the company said in a statement.

AI continues to supercharge a more visual, immersive, and helpful Google Maps for India, the company said. 

Miriam Karthika Daniel, VP - Google Maps Experiences said, “As we look to the future of Google Maps, we’re committed to building a map that helps people go from knowing about a place to truly experiencing it. We’re also focussed on catering to India’s diverse mobility needs, from sustainable journeys to public transport.”

Apart from the new innovations launched, Google also doubled down on partnerships with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) as well as India's first open mobility auto-booking app Namma Yatri to help digitise public transport at scale.

Google also integrated data on Mumbai and Kolkata local trains on its Where Is My Train app, thereby enabling access to train location, real-time status and platform changes.

As per their data, Google Maps surfaces over 50 million searches across multiple languages and powers over 2.5 billion kms of directions each day.