Immersive Navigation Comes To Google Maps: Buildings, Other Street Features Shown in 3D
Reliance on navigational applications has spiked in recent years. Google Maps is the clear global leader in navigation apps. It has now got its biggest upgrade in over a decade- Google has announced immersive navigation and ‘Ask Maps’ feature on the Maps app, making the experience more intuitive for users. The former will be of great help to drivers and will transform the way we use Google Maps.
The update focuses on making navigation more intuitive and visually informative. The visuals and route guidance have both been redesigned. There’s a strong focus on ensuring that Maps and its guidance cause minimal distraction to the driver. The driver should remain focussed on the road. The audio directions have been reworked accordingly.
The biggest change this time is the Immersive Navigation. The app now gives a detailed 3D map view. It now shows buildings, overpasses and terrain along the selected route. This makes the map feel more realistic. More importantly, it provides the driver with more useful data than before. This can be particularly useful when travelling through unfamiliar areas or geographies. Drivers can foresee blinding curves or infrastructure that could possibly cause an issue.
The new version can also highlight critical road features such as lanes, crosswalks, traffic lights and stop signs. These visual cues help drivers prepare for upcoming turns, merges and intersections more confidently.
Google has integrated various Gemini AI models into the design of the new Maps experience. These analyse real-world imagery from Google Street View and aerial photographs to create an accurate visual representation of the environment along the desired route. This will even have finer details like landmarks and medians.
Additionally, the updated interface provides a broader preview of upcoming roads. The application also has a ‘smart zoom’ feature and transparent building overlays which can be of great help to the user. These would help in avoiding clutter on the screen.
The voice guidance feature has also been redesigned. It now sounds more natural and human-like. It almost feels like our co-driver is speaking to us, giving route guidance. For example, a driver approaching a highway exit may hear:
“Go past this exit and take the next one for SH 43”
These instructions will be supported by visual indicators on the map, clearly highlighting the next action that the driver should undertake.
Another key improvement comes in traffic updates. The Maps app processes a huge amount of data to analyse traffic and come up with route suggestions.
The update also gives the platform the ability to explain trade-offs between alternate routes. Drivers may see options such as a slightly longer route with lighter traffic or a faster route that includes toll roads. Real-time disruptions alerts are also part of the package. These updates will be powered by Google’s community of drivers.
The new Maps also lets you preview your destination and its surroundings even before you start the journey. Street View imagery is used for this. You can even rely on it to find where to park. The app will even highlight the building’s entrance, nearby parking, and which side of the street to be on- all useful for users who are new to a place.
Google has also added an ‘Ask Maps’ feature on the platform. This utilises Gemini models, and lets people ask the Maps app questions and receive helpful responses. The questions can be hyper-specific and the responses are claimed to be personalised.
Google has started rolling out the Immersive Navigation across the United States. It will be introduced in a phased manner. Wider availability is planned in the coming months.