Over the tens of thousands of miles I’ve driven over the past few years, Google Maps has been my go-to navigation app. I’ve always liked its straightforward interface and the fact that I can also use it for walking and cycling, which Waze can’t do. It also helps that Google has consistently updated Google Maps with useful improvements, such as enhanced incident reporting and the ability to flag weather disruptions, including flooded or unplowed roads.
Now, though, Google has announced two major upgrades coming to Google Maps that could fundamentally change how you use the app: a Gemini-powered conversational experience called “Ask Maps” and a total transformation of the navigational experience called “Immersive Navigation.”
- OS
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iOS, Android
- Brand
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Google
- Price
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Free
Ask Maps transforms Google Maps into the ultimate travel guide
You can ask Google Maps more than just about your route
Starting with Ask Maps, this builds on Google’s recent efforts to integrate more of its Gemini AI models into Google Maps and offers a new way to interact more conversationally with Google Maps about your destination, and to ask it complex questions you might not otherwise think to ask a map.
In a blog post, Google outlines some of the real-world questions Ask Maps is capable of answering, such as “My phone is dying — where can I charge it without having to wait in a long line for coffee?” or “Is there a public tennis court with lights on that I can play at tonight?”
Additionally, Ask Maps can also be used to help plan road trips and find rest stops along the way, by asking it a question like “I’m headed to the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Coral Dunes — any recommended stops along the way?”
By asking questions like these to Ask Maps, Google says the app will provide directions, ETAs, and tips from real people who’ve actually been to these places, by pulling information from Google Maps reviews.
“Ask Maps is uniquely helpful — tapping into Maps’ fresh information about the world to show you everything you need to know before you go, personalizing responses to you, and making it easy to turn plans into action,” Google stated in a blog post.
Asks Maps is rolling out now in the US and India on Android and iOS, and Google says it will come to desktop soon.
Immersive Navigation will transform the way you use Google Maps
You’ll soon be able to view your surroundings in 3D
The next major change Google is bringing to Google Maps is Immersive Navigation, which the company says is its “biggest navigation upgrade in over a decade.”
Immersive Navigation is essentially a complete overhaul of the navigation experience in Google Maps. It adds a 3D view to the map that reflects buildings, overpasses, and terrain, helping you better understand the surroundings along your route. The experience actually reminds me a lot of Apple Maps, which also offers 3D navigation.
However, beyond just seeing buildings in 3D, Immersive Navigation will also highlight road details in much greater depth, such as lanes, crosswalks, traffic lights, and stop signs. This should give you a far clearer idea of what to expect ahead and help you merge lanes and make turns more safely.
Alongside Immersive Navigation, Google says it’s also adding new features to make driving less stressful. This includes the ability to preview your route more easily, with smart zooms and transparent buildings that help you see what’s coming up, like a tricky turn or lane change, so you can be better prepared.
The voice guidance in Google Maps has also been updated to sound more natural and less like a robot. For example, if you’re preparing to exit the highway in two exits, Maps may say something like “Go past this exit and take the next one for Illinois 43 South.”
Finally, Google has also updated how alternate routes work, making it clearer what the trade-offs are for each option. You’ll also get more information about disruptions along the way, such as construction or crashes reported by other drivers. Maps will now also let you preview your destination with Street View imagery before you leave, and highlight the entrance and parking for the place you’re going to at the end of your drive.
Immersive Navigation is rolling out now in the US, but Google says it will “expand over the coming months” to eligible iOS and Android devices, CarPlay, Android Auto, and cars with Google built in.
Personally, as a longtime Google Maps fan, I’m really impressed by everything Google has shown off. Ask Maps seems helpful if you have complex questions while driving, and the 3D experience Google has built with Immersive Navigation looks extremely useful for better understanding your surroundings. I can’t wait to try them both out soon and see how they actually perform.
