Google is launching a new feature in Maps which will highlight places that have wheelchair accessibility. On the occasion of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Google wants to make things easier for wheelchair users, who can check ab. The company announced on Thursday that the feature will be rolled out for iOS and Android users.

It is not a very pleasant experience, if you are a wheelchair user and you go to a place that is not wheelchair friendly or accessible. So Google wants its users to know beforehand whether a place has wheelchair accessibility or not. If you turn on the "Accessible Places" feature on Google Maps, a wheelchair icon will tell you whether the place has accessibility or not.

"People can now turn on an "Accessible Places" feature to have wheelchair accessibility information more prominently displayed in Google Maps. When Accessible Places is switched on, a wheelchair icon will indicate an accessible entrance and you'll be able to see if a place has accessible seating, restrooms, or parking. If it's confirmed that a place does not have an accessible entrance, we'll show that information on Maps as well, " Google Blog read.

Google Maps carries information about over 15 million places that have wheelchair accessibility around the globe. The company says that the number has doubled since 2017 due to the help of local guides who had shared information related to accessibility. "In total, this community has contributed more than 500 million wheelchair accessibility updates to Google Maps. Store owners have also helped, using Google My Business to add accessibility information for their business profiles to help users needing stair-free access find them on Google Maps and Search," the blog read.

To get the information regarding the wheelchair accessibility on Google Maps, you will have to update your app to the latest version and then you can go to Settings, tap "Accessibility," and switch on the "Accessible Places" toggle.

"We're also rolling out an update that allows people using iOS devices to more easily contribute accessibility information, joining the millions of Android users who have been sharing this type of information on Maps. This guide has tips for rating accessibility, in case you're not sure what counts as being "accessible." We invite everyone to switch on Accessible Places and contribute accessibility information to help people in your community," Sasha Blair-Goldensohn, Software Engineer, Google Maps said in a blog post.

Google has started to rollout Wheelchair accessibility features for users in Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States and it will always roll out the feature in other countries soon.