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Google Maps is getting a Gemini upgrade, which promises to let users chat with the app about driving directions but also anything else they want to know, including the news.
Google will also provide landmark-based driving directions to make it easier to know when to turn, and proactive alerts about upcoming traffic.
New Google Maps Chat Features
The chat additions are a subtle change since the existing Google Assistant can already pull up a list of nearby restaurants, for example. However, the company claims that Gemini can handle more nuanced questions, such as "what are the most popular dishes?" at those restaurants and whether there’s outdoor seating.
(Credit: Google)“It can tell you about the parking, it can tell you what a place is like, it can answer your questions in a much more conversational experience,” Amanda Leicht Moore, a product director for Google Maps, said during a press briefing.
“It can also integrate with all of the capabilities Gemini has. So you can ask it questions about the news, or about any topic,” she added, noting she recently conversed with Gemini about second-grade math curriculums.
Gemini in navigation mode will arrive in the coming weeks for Android and iOS. The company is also working on bringing it to Android Auto, but it's unclear if it’ll land on Apple CarPlay due to certain software restrictions. Chats will not be used for ad targeting purposes.
Landmark-Based Navigation and Traffic Alerts for Google Maps
Another notable improvement coming to Google Maps is how it gives directions. Often, mapping apps provide directions in terms of distance ("turn left in 500 feet"), which can be difficult for drivers to gauge. Google previously updated the app to use visible objects, such as traffic lights and stop signs, when giving directions. Now it’ll also use nearby buildings, such as gas stations or famous landmarks, when telling people where to go.
“You’ll hear clear directions like ‘turn right after the Thai Siam Restaurant,’ and see it highlighted on your map as you approach,” Google said as an example.
The feature also taps the Gemini chatbot to identify the surrounding buildings on a route in real-time. “Gemini does this by analyzing Google Maps’ fresh, comprehensive information about 250 million places and cross-referencing it with Street View images to curate the most useful landmarks visible from the street, so guidance is accurate and helpful,” the company explained.
Landmark-based navigation is now rolling out for Android and iOS users in the US.
The Gemini integration naturally raises concerns about the chatbot hallucinating inaccurate information. However, the company says the Gemini integration has been “grounded” to only surface real information from actual map data.
Another improvement lets Google Maps warn you about disruptions on the road ahead, even if you're not using the app. These "proactive traffic alerts" are also rolling out today in the US, but only on Android for now.