Google Maps launches new public transport features in India

Google Maps has announced three India-first public transport navigation features with an aim to ease daily commute of users. Starting from 5 June 2019, Google Maps users will be able to see bus travel times from live traffic across ten Indian cities, get live train status for Indian Railways and even get mixed-mode commute suggestions which now combines auto-rickshaw and public transport.

About Three New Feature for Commuters

1. Real-time bus travel information

• This is first of its kind product feature, launched first in India. It will enable commuters to know how long bus trip will take from their starting location to destination, by factoring in live traffic conditions.
• This feature is now live across ten cities in India including Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow, Chennai, Mysore, Coimbatore, and Surat.
• Indicators: The bus travel times from live traffic will show results in green (when running on time) or red (when delayed).

2. Real-Time train information status for long-distance trains

• With this India-specific feature Google Maps can now help users know real-time live running status of a train and check if it is delayed. This feature it will work only in case of a long distance train journey.
• This feature was developed in partnership with ‘Where is my Train’ app that was acquired by the Google in 2018.

3. Mixed-mode navigation Guidance with auto-rickshaw recommendation

• This new feature will tell users if taking an auto-rickshaw is better or a different mode of transport such as metro, local train, or a bus when taking a journey.
• It will indicate from/to which station or stop users should take an auto-rickshaw and their total journey time. It will also tell users what station/stop will be the most suitable for switching to other means of transport.
• Users can also see rickshaw meter estimate and departure times for their transit connection.
• Currently this feature will rolled out only in Delhi and Bangalore before being available to more cities later.

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2019