After introducing its Google I/O with the addition of 24 new languages, Sundar Pichai, the boss of Google, also announced an interesting novelty for Google Maps. The navigation app will offer an “immersive view”, an evolution of the classic Street View. It will thus be possible to access a 3D view of a district. If the proposed demonstration is interesting, we imagine however that the use of the functionality will be limited. It will be usable in several cities, including Los Angeles, London, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo. Too bad for the Parisians.
Immersive view in @GoogleMaps is a new way to experience what a neighborhood, landmark, restaurant and venue will be like — and even feel like you’re right there. It uses advances in computer vision and AI to fuse together billions of Street View images. #GoogleIOpic.twitter.com/DgJwwE03rQ
– Google Google) May 11, 2022
Sundar Pichai also gave an update on the function of Google Maps allowing to leave the lowest possible ecological footprint: eco-friendly routes. According to him, these alternative and more ecological routes would have saved “over half a million metric tons of carbon emissions”which would be the equivalent of taking 100,000 cars off the road. “We are on track to double this figure by the end of 2022 as we expand to other locations, including Europe”he commented.