Everything in 100 words
Google Maps is all set to go ‘Desi’ with a number of India-specific features. With regards to the unique challenges and opportunities, faced by the Indian population while using Google Maps, the new feature is brought to action. It comes with a ‘two-wheeler mode’ in the 9.67.1 version of Maps that will show details alongside the car, train, and walking options. Not only will the mode just displays the fastest and most efficient route to a destination on a two-wheeler, but also the locations of the public toilets in the area.
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In the very recent discussions in Google’s New Delhi quarters, the Program Manager Anal Ghosh explains that Google Maps helps the users much more than just navigating from one point to another. As more than 70% of the vehicles registered in India are two-wheelers, the app is specifically designed to show shortcuts, trip routes that are inaccessible to cars, buses, and trucks. Most importantly it renders a customized traffic and arrival time estimation.
Alternatively, the feature will display information on train, metro, and bus routes as well. It will also show the schedules for approximately 12,000 trains run by Indian Railways.
Google Maps’ all-new Two-wheeler mode
In tandem with the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Google has also started saving the database of public toilets across different cities in the country. Presumably, this has been done in an effort to reduce the menace of public urination, a problem of bad hygiene that’s very prevalent in the nation. This feature is no more just a future idea because, for Kolkata and Surat, Google has already launched real-time buses configuration status. Google is also observing, how it can be extended to other cities, as well.
As for the initial phase, some of the features may already be available on the beta version of the Google Maps. It should roll out to the stable version, just after Google confirms the new features to be efficiently working, without any casualties.
The new feature for India has been in discussions for a while, addressing the sole aim of making Google Maps more comprehensive, accurate and reliable. On the similar course, Google has been more actively emphasizing to bring Indian-centric features for Maps, recently. It will be effectively working as a new home screen on Android, which loads faster and instantly let the users check the directions, cards, satellite imagery of a site, and not to forget the information about traffic.
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