Google is set to roll out an augmented reality-based navigation feature to its Google Maps app to a small test group in the US in the coming days, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The technology was first demoed in 2018 at Google’s IO developer conference, which generated a lot of buzz because it looked like a compelling use case for AR tech in day-to-day life.
The exciting notion for such a feature is that it will, in theory, solve the most frustrating part of Google Maps for people – when the blue dot doesn’t recognize where you are, or takes ages to realize you’ve changed direction. With this new AR feature, that will all (hopefully) change.
Maps will use your phone camera to get a better understanding of exactly where you are, and then display directions on your screen as overlays on the camera image to precisely guide you to your destination.
How the technology develops, and when/if it becomes available outside of the US remains to be seen, but for now it’s promising to know that my number one grievance with Google Maps is being solved!
