Google Maps is getting an AI feature ‘Ask Maps’ and enhanced navigation for ‘immersive’

Google announced Thursday that Google Maps is introducing an “Ask Maps” feature powered by Gemini along with an updated “Immersive Navigation” feature that brings 3D views, traffic information, natural voice control, and more to the app.

The new “Ask Maps” feature allows users to ask complex, real-time questions using natural language, such as “My phone is dying, how can I charge it without waiting in a long line for coffee?” or “Is there a lighted public tennis court I can play tonight?”

The tech giant says the feature can also be used for quick travel planning. For example, you might ask: “I’m going to the Grand Canyon, Gorseshoe Bend, and Coral Dunes, any legal places to stop on the way?” Maps will give you directions, ETAs, and tips from real people, like how to find a hidden trail or a free entrance ticket.

Ask Maps creates its own personalized answers using bookmarks including places a user has searched for or saved to their account, Google said. So if a user asks something like, “My friends are coming from Midtown East to meet me after work. Any good places with a table for 4 at 7 tonight?” Ask Maps probably already knows that the user likes vegetarian restaurants and will provide good recommendations that offer vegetarian options.

Ask Maps is available in the US and India on Android and iOS. The service will be available on desktop soon, Google said.

As for the new “Immersive Navigation” update, Maps is getting a 3D view that shows nearby buildings, transit, and distance, similar to Apple Maps. The app will also display road details such as lanes, intersections, traffic lights, and stop signs.

In addition to the visual updates, Maps is also working on a number of features designed to help drivers better navigate the road.

Maps now gives drivers a larger view of their route through smart displays and virtual buildings to help them look ahead and plan for difficult turns and lane changes in advance.

In addition, Google has updated Maps voice guidance to make it easier to understand. For example, if you’re going down a freeway at an exit, you’ll now hear something like, “Take this exit and take the next one to Illinois 43 South.”

Maps will now also show the exchange of certain roads, such as a long trip with less traffic or a fast one that involves a toll. The app will also alert you to real-time disruptions on your route, such as road construction and accidents. This will use data from Google Maps and Waze.

Google also announced that before you go to your destination, you can preview the location and the surrounding area using Street View images and get recommendations for stops. As you approach, Maps will highlight the entrance to the building, the nearest parking lot, and the side of the road where you’ll be staying.

“Our team is planning to redesign navigation with a focus on travel,” said Miriam Daniel, Vice President of Google Maps, in a press conference. “Depth navigation is a continuous improvement. It has redesigned graphics, real-time information brought to you in real time, and intelligent guidance.”

Immersive Navigation is rolling out in the US today, with availability expanding in the coming months for compatible iOS and Android devices, as well as CarPlay, Android Auto, and Google-enabled cars.

Thursday’s announcement comes as Google burned Gemini into Maps at the end of last year, allowing an AI assistant to answer questions about places on the road, provide information on topics such as sports or news, and add events to the calendar. It also started using Gemini with Street View to improve driving directions by pointing to nearby places like gas stations, restaurants, or famous buildings instead of just looking at distances.