While we’re all looking ahead to next week’s Pixel launch, it’s not the only event Google’s holding this fall. The Search On conference brought all sorts of various improvements and enhancements to the company’s search engine, and it didn’t stop there. As we approach the holiday travel season in the coming months, Google Maps is getting some new features that seem perfect for planning out your next vacation, no matter where in the world you’re headed.
The most interesting tool — and certainly the one with the most eye-catching name — is “vibe check.” Yes, Google’s adopting the language of your favorite Gen Z TikTok creators, all to help you figure out what the feel of a neighborhood is like in a new city. It seems destined for a perfect pairing with Airbnb, as you look in specific parts of cities for active nightlife, tourist attractions, and more. Maps will highlight popular restaurants, museums, and other must-see locales to build a “neighborhood vibe,” all using a combination of AI and local reviews.
Hopefully, this service steers travelers into interesting local spots instead of pushing even more attention to gentrified sections of cities. It’s easy to imagine a world where established spots are skipped over for whatever’s trendy, though hopefully, Google’s AI formula delivers a good mixture of attractions. It’s coming to Android and iOS globally in the coming months.
Google also delivered a couple of updates on existing or upcoming features for Maps, starting with those landmark aerial views first shown at I/O. These 3D looks at popular environments made for one of the coolest demos at the company’s dev conference earlier this summer, and as of today, 250 spots around the world are now supported. Google describes this as a “significant step” towards immersive maps, a tool designed to make planning a trip even easier, as you can preview entrances, weather conditions, and nearby businesses. Immersive maps were meant to launch this year in select cities, but the company’s now expecting a launch in the “coming months.” To us, it sounds like a quiet delay.
Live View, Google’s method for showing AR directions for better navigation, is also getting a new ability. “Search with Live View” lets you look for nearby places — think coffee shops, grocery stores, and even ATMs — just by lifting your phone. You’ll see a description of each locale appear using your phone’s camera, giving you a better idea of what the buildings around you contain. “Search with Live View” is coming to London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Paris, and Tokyo — say it with me now — sometime in the coming months.
Finally, Google offered an update on its efforts to help drivers choose eco-friendly routes. Since the feature launched, the company estimates it has helped to curb half a million metric tons of carbon emissions. Google hasn’t slowed down trying to make Maps a little more green — it recently announced optimized routes for EVs, trucks, and more, which are set to launch in the US, Canada, and Europe very soon.
