The Google I/O event started strong this year, with CEO Sundar Pichai announcing a new upgrade which is coming to Google Maps. The feature, called Immersive View for Routes, allows users to visualise their route prior to taking a journey.
The feature comes together thanks to the wealth of Google Street View images. Those are stitched together with AI and aerial imaging to create a 3D representation of the area.
It's a really great addition. The technology itself has a wealth of uses. I can imagine it will be massively useful if you're taking a trip in an unfamiliar location, where users can ensure they're taking a safe route. Plus, users can keep an eye out for notable landmarks or points of interest along their route, to ensure they don't miss out on anything interesting.
With the addition of condition updates, users can check for the best time to travel too. No more getting stuck in the rain – simply pre-check the route, to find the optimum conditions for your journey.
There's no guarantee of when this will be publicly available, but Pichai said it would be later this year. As you might expect, it's also not going to be available everywhere straight away. Fifteen cities will be included at launch, with London, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and San Francisco included on the list.
