Google Maps is leveling up, thanks to new features powered by Gemini AI, which promise to make exploring and navigating smoother than ever. Here’s what’s new and how it can enhance your experience.
Google Maps: Personalized Activity Planning with Gemini AI
Google Maps now lets users leverage Gemini AI to make trip planning more efficient and enjoyable. Using this new AI integration, you can ask Maps for ideas on places to visit or things to do, either solo or with friends. Gemini can even curate personalized itineraries around specific areas.
Additionally, Gemini AI will provide quick summaries of user reviews for various locations, answer questions about seating arrangements (like whether a place has outdoor seating), and describe the general atmosphere (like whether it’s quiet). These features are rolling out on Android and iOS in the U.S. this week, making travel and local exploration easier than ever.
Improved Navigation with More Stops and Safety Features
For those who use Google Maps for driving, the ‘add stops’ feature has received a significant boost. You can now insert scenic stops, attractions, top landmarks, or dining options along your route for a more enjoyable journey. On top of that, navigation will become clearer with better visibility of lanes, crosswalks, and road signs, and Maps will now tell you precisely which lane to stay in for your upcoming exits. You’ll also be able to report weather disruptions to keep fellow drivers informed.
Moreover, as you approach your destination, Maps will show nearby parking lots and offer walking directions from your parking spot to your final destination using Street View or AR walking directions. This enhancement will soon be available globally across Android and iOS, starting with over 30 major metro areas.
Google is also upgrading the Immersive View feature, which lets you virtually experience places like stadiums, parks, and specific routes using AI-powered imagery and computer vision. Immersive View will now expand to 150 cities worldwide and include more categories, such as college campuses. It will also offer more detailed information for routes, like parking suggestions and visual guidance through complex turns. The rollout for these updates begins this week in areas where Immersive View is already accessible.
Waze Gets Upgraded, Too
In addition to Maps, Google is updating Waze with practical features. Users will soon be able to report road incidents through a new Conversational Reporting feature using natural voice commands. Waze will also highlight school zones on the map to improve driver awareness and safety.
These updates mark another big leap for navigation and AI integration, making travel smarter and more intuitive.
Pokdepinion: We’re slowly but surely getting to a point where all these navigation apps will know where we want to go before we tell it the location. That can be both useful and scary at the same time if I’m being honest.
