Google Launches Gemini to Transform Google Maps into a Smart Assistant

Ask Maps: Google Launches Gemini to Transform Google Maps into a Smart Assistant to Answer All Your Complex Questions

Google has announced the launch of a new AI-powered feature inside the Google Maps app, called "Ask Maps". This feature aims to transform the Maps experience into an interactive and intelligent one, where users can ask real-world and complex questions and receive precise, personalized answers directly through the Gemini model.

The Ask Maps Feature: Talking to Maps Naturally

The Ask Maps feature allows users to interact with Google Maps in a natural way, just as if they were asking a personal assistant. The user can describe their daily plans or needs in detail, such as searching for:

A quiet restaurant suitable for a specific number of people at a certain time.
The nearest phone charging station without a long wait.
A clean public restroom in a busy area.

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The Gemini model analyzes these complex questions and provides precise suggestions based on traffic trends, user reviews, photos, congestion levels, and the nature of the place, with the ability to incorporate previously saved locations or places the user has interacted with into the results.

The feature also allows users to perform direct actions such as booking a table at a restaurant with a single tap, if the service is available, which enhances the speed and flexibility of daily planning.

Miriam Daniel, Vice President and General Manager of Google Maps, confirmed that Gemini's answers rely exclusively on Google Maps' own data, and not on data from other apps such as Gmail, and that personalization is based on previous searches in Maps or the search engine, as well as saved places within the app, with no influence from advertising on current Ask Maps suggestions.

International Availability of the Feature

The Ask Maps feature is scheduled to launch first in the United States and India on Android and iPhone devices, with plans to expand later to more countries around the world.

Immersive Navigation Update: A Completely New Navigation Experience

In addition to that, Google revealed a comprehensive visual update to the navigation experience within the app, called Immersive Navigation, which the company describes as the biggest update to Google Maps in over a decade.

This update provides realistic three-dimensional maps, with improved colors, detailed building renderings, roads, bridges, terrain, and green spaces, along with an automatically shifting viewing angle while driving to highlight important information on the road.

The map includes essential road elements such as:

Traffic lanes
Pedestrian crossings
Traffic signals
Stop signs when approaching turns

The system also explains why a particular route is suggested, and displays other alternatives based on live traffic data, user reports about incidents, maintenance works, or any potential hazards. After arriving at the destination, the system provides additional information about parking spots and walking paths if needed, which enhances safety and ease of navigation.

Availability of Immersive Navigation

Immersive Navigation will be rolled out in the United States next week, with plans to reach other regions later. The update supports Android and iPhone devices, in addition to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as cars equipped with the Google built-in platform.