Google Maps has unveiled multiple new features such as an on-screen speedometer and special navigation features through natural disasters.Google Maps has been on a roll lately. Just recently, it added three new features for public transport including buses, trains, and auto-rickshaws in India. And now the digital maps platform has reportedly rolled out an on-screen speedometer in its app.
The feature seems to be rolling out as a slow server-side rollout and has started showing up in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK, and the US, according to a report by the Android Police.
As per the report, the speedometer feature can be enabled by tapping on the menu button inside the Google Maps app, then clicking on the ‘Settings’ tab and then tapping ‘Navigation Settings’. After this, the user needs to scroll down to driving options and enable the Speedometer setting if it is visible on that page.
In case there is no such option then it means that the speedometer feature has not yet arrived in your area or smartphone. But in case you do find the option, then you can select it and you will be able to see the speedometer on the front of the screen when you’re navigating with Google Maps.
Also read: Google Maps to show real-time train, bus status in India
Apart from the speedometer feature, Google Maps has also launched new navigation features which will not only warn users about natural disaster along their route but will also alter their route avoid.
In a blog post, Google said that this new feature is an expansion to their existing SOS alerts feature, which provides the basic information related to a natural disaster like what is happening, emergency helpline numbers and Twitter updates from local authorities, etc.
With the expansion of this feature, users will now be able to see detailed visualisations about hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods which will provide users a better understanding of the on-ground situation and act accordingly.
The post further goes on to say that if a user is on navigation mode, then Google Maps will immediately alert them if their route has been affected by any natural disaster. Since in a crisis every moment is vital, Google will let the users immediately share their current locations, it will also let users see and report road closures. Users will also be able to share crisis information with their friends and family.
The visualisations will be arriving in Android, iOS and the web in the “coming weeks” with flood forecast visualisations starting in Patna and then spread to the Ganges and Brahmaputra regions, the blog post said. Crisis-aware navigation, meanwhile, will appear in mobile apps sometime this summer.
Also read: Google Maps now cautions you of speed cameras, accident spots
To recall, the Maps app has launched a feature earlier this year, which cautions the users about mobile speed cameras and accidents that have happened ahead.
