Back in November, Google first brought Gemini into Maps, and today it’s expanding the AI capabilities inside Maps with Ask Maps. Like the name implies, this lets you ask anything about any place in Google Maps, and Gemini will reply inside a “conversational experience”.
Google says Gemini can answer “complex, real-world questions a map could never answer before”. You can literally ask for anything – a place to charge your phone, a public tennis court with lights are only two examples Google gives. Just tap the Ask Maps button and ask away.
Gemini in Maps analyzes information from over 300 million places, including reviews from the 500 million-strong Maps community. The results are personalized based on places you’ve searched for in the past, or saved in Maps, so you can get the most relevant recommendations.
With Ask Maps, you can also book restaurant reservations, save places to a list, or share them with friends. And of course, you can get directions and navigate too. Speaking of which, Immersive Navigation is the biggest update to Maps in over a decade, Google says.
It comes with redesigned visuals and more intuitive guidance, helping you stay focused and informed on the road, with real-world information and natural directions. The map has a 3D view that shows buildings, overpasses, and the terrain around you, and when it’s helpful you’ll see lanes, crosswalks, traffic lights, and stop signs highlighted.
This “spatial understanding of your route” is “made possible with help from Gemini models”, Google says. They analyze fresh, real-world imagery from Street View and aerial photos to give you an accurate view of things along your route.
Immersive Navigation shows a broader view of your route, with smart zooms and transparent buildings helping you see ahead. Voice guidance is more natural, and you’ll even be informed about tradeoffs for alternate routes, like a longer trip with less traffic or a faster one with a toll.
Maps will also alert you about real-time disruptions along the way, and before you start driving you can preview your destination and its surroundings with Street View, and get recommendations for where to park. As you approach your destination, Maps will highlight the building’s entrance, nearby parking, and which side of the street to be on.
Now for the bad news. Ask Maps is rolling out now in the US and India on Android and iOS, with no word about other countries for now. Immersive Navigation is rolling out today across the US, and “availability will expand over the coming months to eligible iOS and Android devices, CarPlay, Android Auto, and cars with Google built-in”.
