Google Maps India Update: Flyovers, Road Width Notifications, EV Charging & More

Google Maps is introducing several new features in India to enhance navigation and exploration. One of the key updates includes an AI model that estimates road widths, helping four-wheeler drivers avoid narrow roads. This model uses satellite imagery, Street View, and other data to provide accurate road width estimates. Initially, this feature will be available in eight cities.

Another significant addition is the introduction of flyover callouts. This feature will notify users about upcoming flyovers along their routes, allowing them to prepare in advance. The flyover callouts will be accessible in 40 cities.

Flyover Guidance, Road Width & Incident Reporting

One of the most requested features, flyover guidance, will now be integrated into the navigation experience on Google Maps. This update helps users anticipate upcoming flyovers on their route. It will be available on Android Maps and Android Auto this week, followed by iOS and CarPlay later.

Google has developed a new routing capability specifically for Indian cities to reduce the use of narrow roads for four-wheeler trips. The AI model built for Indian roads estimates road width using satellite imagery and Street View imagery. This ensures safer routes for bikers and pedestrians without significantly affecting the expected time of arrival (ETA).

The platform has also simplified reporting road incidents like construction or traffic mishaps. Users can report incidents with a few taps and confirm reports from others. This feature is available across all platforms.

EV Charging Stations

Google Maps is also collaborating with top EV charging providers in India to display information about EV charging stations on the platform. In collaboration with leading electric vehicle (EV) charging station providers and data aggregators in India, Google Maps will add information about 8,000 charging stations to its platform.

Users will have access to detailed information about plug types and real-time availability and can filter by charger type. Notably, this marks the first time EV charging stations for two-wheelers are included on Google Maps.

Curated Lists & Metro Tickets

Additionally, Google Maps is introducing curated lists of favourite spots from the community and local experts. Users can create, share, and collaborate on lists of their favourite places and access curated lists for major cities and tourist spots.

In partnership with ONDC and Namma Yatri, Google Maps now offers metro ticket bookings in Kochi and Chennai. This feature allows users to book tickets directly via Google Maps, eliminating the need to queue at stations. Google plans to extend this service to more cities and other public transport modes.

These updates reflect Google's commitment to enhancing digital mapping in India, making it more useful for users, businesses, developers, and society at large.