Google is showing off its AI-powered features today at its annual Google I/O event, and one of the first new features revealed is an “Immersive View” for Google Maps.
Today, Google CEO Sundar Pichai showed off a new mode for Google Maps that will display the route on top of the existing 3D map models. You’ll be able to scroll through directions, with lines and arrows visible above the map. Google even showed off weather effects in the render, like rain — that might be annoying for anyone trying to use this for directions, but it is a neat tech demo.
The new mode relies on a detailed 3D map, which isn’t available in all areas. For that reason, Google says the feature is “coming to 15 cites by the end of the year,” with the initial areas going live sometime in the next few months.
We’ll have to wait and see if the feature is useful in the real world. Google Maps already has a mode in the mobile app where you can see live directions through AR, which is definitely helpful for orienting yourself in unfamiliar areas. The new mode looks more like screenshots from Cities Skylines.
Source: Google
