In an announcement this week, Google Maps GOOG -0.89%↓ said artificial intelligence has allowed it to expand its EV charging station feature, make recommendations of nearby activities and provide more in-depth visualization.
Earlier this year, the company announced Immersive View for routes—and is expanding this week to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dublin, Florence, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Tokyo and Venice on Android and iOS, said Chris Phillips, vice president and general manager of the Geo division, in a company blog.
Immersive View allows turn-by-turn directions, a time slider to plan when to head out based on information, simulated traffic and weather conditions, the company said.
Google Maps also updated its Lens in Maps feature, formerly called Search with a Live View, which uses AI and augmented reality to allow users to find information about ATMs, transit stations, restaurants, coffee shops and stores. Lens in Maps is coming to more than 50 new cities including Austin, Las Vegas, Rome, São Paulo and Taipei, the company said.
Also starting this week, with cars with Google built-in, EV drivers on Android and iOS will now see more charging station information, including whether a charger is compatible with their vehicle and whether the available chargers are fast, medium, or slow, Phillips said.
