Lime and AR Come to Google Maps
Google has added two more features to their widely used Maps product. The first is an integration with Lime e-scooters and e-bicycles. The second new feature to Google Maps is augmented reality (AR) overlays for directions in the mobile app.
Lime in Google Maps 🛴🚲🔋
Lime is one of the largest operators in the last mile electric vehicle space. With services in over 100 cities worldwide, Lime’s e-scooters and e-bicycles are well known to us here at Tunnel Time. In the cities we showcase on our site, Lime’s vehicles are available in: New York City 🇺🇸, London 🇬🇧 and Paris 🇫🇷. Google Maps’ directions and route planning tools have always been top of class when it comes to worldwide offerings. In addition to directions for: driving, transit, cycling and walking, Google Maps also offers ride sharing with deep integrations with both Lyft and Uber. Their new Lime integration isn't added as another transportation option, but Lime vehicles will show themselves on your map when you are in the walking or cycling mode. You will still use the Lime app to start your trip, but Google Maps can tell you where the vehicles are and their charge level. This feature is currently available on the Android version of Google Maps with an iOS roll out happening in the next couple weeks.
A Screenshot from the AR Maps session at Google IO, their developer conference.
Augmented Reality Directions ↩️📍
At Google’s developer conference earlier this year, the company demoed and had developer sessions on integrating augmented reality directions into the Google Maps mobile app. Augmented Reality (AR) allows you to place objects in real world space when looking through your phone’s camera or a device like smart glasses. This approach uses the former approach and can turn walking directions in Google Maps into a dedicated path and sign system right on your phone’s camera screen. Using your phone’s GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope and Street View image recognition, Google Maps can track and place your directions in 3D space on your phone’s camera view. This feature is available today and is rolling out to users with modern AR enabled smartphones and the newest version of Google Maps.
Cover Photo: Lime
